The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns looked to win their fifth straight Sun Belt Conference championship, but the Texas State Bobcats were the team standing in their way. Playing in their home park, Jessica Mullins and the Bobcats were too much for the Cajuns on Saturday in a 9-5 contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Bobcats jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on an RBI single from Anna Jones, a sacrifice fly from Piper Randolph, and a fielding error by the Cajuns. However, Louisiana responded with two runs from a Brooke Ellestad single that kept the Cajuns in the game.
Louisiana took the lead in the third with a two-run triple from Ellestad that put the Cajuns ahead 4-3, but things got out of hand as Texas State would score five unanswered runs to take an 8-4 lead through five innings. Emilee Baker got the scoring started with an RBI single to left field before Sara Vanderford added another run with a sac fly. Then, a single from Jones tacked on another run followed by a two-run homer in the fifth from JJ Smith to give the Bobcats insurance.
In the fifth, the Cajuns got one back on a double from Victoria Valdez to score Maddie Hayden, but the Bobcats regained the four-run lead with a single from Smith to score Randolph.
Hayden was able to get a single in the seventh, but that would be all as Texas State took down the four-time defending conference champs to win the Sun Belt title.
BIG NUMBER: 3
Three errors made by the Cajuns defense gave the Bobcats extra opportunities to score, which were capitalized on by the veteran club.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: JJ Smith
Smith was 2-4 at the plate with a home run and three runs batted in to lead Texas State.
UP NEXT: Louisiana and Texas State will now both await their NCAA Tournament fates with Sunday’s selection special at 6pm.