University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Sunday, March 23
Lafayette
2:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
16-14, 3-3
5
vs
10
ULM
23-13, 4-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
ULM
1
0
0
3
0
4
2
10
16
2
Louisiana
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
5
7
2
Cajuns Miss Chance at Series Sweep After Late Warhawks Push
3/23/2025 5:53:00 PM | Softball
Louisiana loses a lead when up through five innings for only the second time
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball team fell 10-5 in the Sun Belt series finale with ULM on Sunday, March 23 at Lamson Park after the visiting Warhawks used a late-game surge to recapture the lead.
ULM (23-13, 4-2 SBC) plated six runs combined over the sixth and seventh innings to regain a lead it had earlier held and avoid the series sweep. Louisiana (16-14, 3-3 SBC) had already secured the series victory with Friday's extra-inning thriller and Saturday's storm back after a first inning deficit.
The Warhawks struck in the first, but starting pitcher Bethaney Noble (3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 2 K) stranded runners in the first and second inning and retired the side in order in the third to keep the visitors at arm's length.
In the bottom of the third the Ragin' Cajuns found the breakthrough both they and Noble had been searching for.
After a run scored on a wild pitch to knot things up at 1-apiece, ULM elected to intentionally walk Emily Smith and then Sam Roe drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Immediately after, Laney Credeur (1-for-3, double, 3 RBI) unloaded the bases and Louisiana leapt in front 4-1.
The Cajuns, though, would let the Warhawks off the hook and squander the momentum shift. The first walks of the series the UL pitching staff allowed came in the top of the fourth – three free passes including a bases-loaded walk for the first run – to set up the Warhawks for a three-spot that tied the game.
Louisiana created a mini-momentum swing back to its side the next half inning when Maddie Hayden stole home on a double-steal attempt for a 5-4 lead. A runner remained in scoring position, but the Cajuns weren't able to add more runs on.
Mallory Wheeler (2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 K) got the Cajuns to the sixth inning with the lead after retiring ULM in order in the fifth inning.
The Warhawks kept attacking and the persistence paid off starting in the sixth inning. A pair of one-out infield singles was followed by a line-drive single to center field, which Wheeler just missed catching, and a fielding error – a sequence which led to three runs scoring and ULM pulling ahead 7-5.
ULM tacked on three more runs before its last trip to the plate was complete. Pitcher Maddie Nichols retired six of the last eight UL batters, working around a pair of hits, to prevent any possible comeback.
Credeur collected her first RBI in conference play with the third inning bases-clearing double. Smith (2-for-3, double) picked up her second multiple-hit game in her Sun Belt debut weekend while Roe extended her current reached base streak to a season-best seven game.
Louisiana had its four-game home winning streak snapped and its 13-game win streak in the ULM series.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana wraps up its four-game homestand on Tuesday, March 25 when No. 3-ranked LSU visits Lamson Park for a 6:00 p.m. contest to wrap up the season series between the two programs.
The Ragin' Cajuns look for their first midweek victory of the season and a split with the Tigers. LSU came away victorious, 14-0 (5 inn.), when the two teams opened the season series on March 11 at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge.
UL and LSU will be completing a sixth consecutive season of annual home-and-home regular season meetings, a trend that began in 2020.
Live coverage is available on ESPN+, the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network (The Goat 103.3 FM/1420 AM and Varsity Sports app) and CajunStats.com.
After the LSU contest, the Ragin' Cajuns return to Sun Belt weekend series play on the road in Conway, South Carolina from March 28-30 at Coastal Carolina.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Louisiana Softball season and single-game tickets are currently on sale, outfield general admission seating only, available for purchase online at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685). Fans can also support the softball student athletes, and invest in the program's future, through the Krewe Allons NIL Collective (click here).
ULM (23-13, 4-2 SBC) plated six runs combined over the sixth and seventh innings to regain a lead it had earlier held and avoid the series sweep. Louisiana (16-14, 3-3 SBC) had already secured the series victory with Friday's extra-inning thriller and Saturday's storm back after a first inning deficit.
The Warhawks struck in the first, but starting pitcher Bethaney Noble (3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 2 K) stranded runners in the first and second inning and retired the side in order in the third to keep the visitors at arm's length.
In the bottom of the third the Ragin' Cajuns found the breakthrough both they and Noble had been searching for.
After a run scored on a wild pitch to knot things up at 1-apiece, ULM elected to intentionally walk Emily Smith and then Sam Roe drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Immediately after, Laney Credeur (1-for-3, double, 3 RBI) unloaded the bases and Louisiana leapt in front 4-1.
The Cajuns, though, would let the Warhawks off the hook and squander the momentum shift. The first walks of the series the UL pitching staff allowed came in the top of the fourth – three free passes including a bases-loaded walk for the first run – to set up the Warhawks for a three-spot that tied the game.
Louisiana created a mini-momentum swing back to its side the next half inning when Maddie Hayden stole home on a double-steal attempt for a 5-4 lead. A runner remained in scoring position, but the Cajuns weren't able to add more runs on.
Mallory Wheeler (2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 K) got the Cajuns to the sixth inning with the lead after retiring ULM in order in the fifth inning.
The Warhawks kept attacking and the persistence paid off starting in the sixth inning. A pair of one-out infield singles was followed by a line-drive single to center field, which Wheeler just missed catching, and a fielding error – a sequence which led to three runs scoring and ULM pulling ahead 7-5.
ULM tacked on three more runs before its last trip to the plate was complete. Pitcher Maddie Nichols retired six of the last eight UL batters, working around a pair of hits, to prevent any possible comeback.
Credeur collected her first RBI in conference play with the third inning bases-clearing double. Smith (2-for-3, double) picked up her second multiple-hit game in her Sun Belt debut weekend while Roe extended her current reached base streak to a season-best seven game.
Louisiana had its four-game home winning streak snapped and its 13-game win streak in the ULM series.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana wraps up its four-game homestand on Tuesday, March 25 when No. 3-ranked LSU visits Lamson Park for a 6:00 p.m. contest to wrap up the season series between the two programs.
The Ragin' Cajuns look for their first midweek victory of the season and a split with the Tigers. LSU came away victorious, 14-0 (5 inn.), when the two teams opened the season series on March 11 at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge.
UL and LSU will be completing a sixth consecutive season of annual home-and-home regular season meetings, a trend that began in 2020.
Live coverage is available on ESPN+, the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network (The Goat 103.3 FM/1420 AM and Varsity Sports app) and CajunStats.com.
After the LSU contest, the Ragin' Cajuns return to Sun Belt weekend series play on the road in Conway, South Carolina from March 28-30 at Coastal Carolina.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Louisiana Softball season and single-game tickets are currently on sale, outfield general admission seating only, available for purchase online at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685). Fans can also support the softball student athletes, and invest in the program's future, through the Krewe Allons NIL Collective (click here).
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nichols, Maddie (8-4)
L: Wheeler, Mallory (6-3)
Batting:
RBI: Brown, Meagan 3 ; Brown, Morgan 1 ; Thomas, Hollie 2 ; Briggs, Reece 1 ; Nichols, Maddie 1
SH: Lippert, Brooklin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lippert, Brooklin 3 ; Brown, Meagan 1 ; Brown, Morgan 1 ; Zenzen, Maryssa 1 ; Briggs, Reece 1 ; Buck, Jacelyn 1 ; Platt, Carys 2
SB: Lippert, Brooklin 1 ; Thomas, Hollie 1
Batting:
2B: Smith, Emily 1 ; Credeur, Laney 1
RBI: Credeur, Laney 3
SH: Hayden, Maddie 1 ; Vasquez, Cecilia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hayden, Maddie 1 ; Williams, Dayzja 1 ; Smith, Emily 1 ; Roe, Sam 1 ; Liscano, Mia 1
SB: Hayden, Maddie 1 ; Williams, Dayzja 1
PO: Falterman, Kayla 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballAlyson Habetz Media Availability (May 4, 2025)
Monday, May 05
Alyson Habetz, Mia Norwood, and Dayzja Williams Media Availability (April 28, 2025)
Monday, April 28
Alyson Habetz Media Availability (April 21, 2025)
Monday, April 21
Alyson Habetz, Emily Smith, And Mallory Wheeler Media Availability (April 14, 2025)
Monday, April 14
