Louisiana Takes Aim at SBC Title While in Troy

Louisiana (28-24, 14-10 SBC) in Sun Belt Conference Championship
Dates: Thursday-Saturday, May 8-10, 2025
Location: Troy, Ala.
Stadium: Troy Softball Complex
Tournament Opener:
Thurs., May 8 vs. App State – 10:00 a.m. (CDT)

MEDIA INFORMATION
SBC Championship Central | Championship Bracket
Game Notes (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF) | Roster | Schedule/Results
Television (through semifinals): ESPN+ | Talent: Genna Rose (PxP), Ariya Massoudi (analyst)
Television (Championship Game): ESPN2 | Talent: Roy Philpott (PxP), Kenzie Fowler (analyst)
Radio: The GOAT 103.3 FM/1420 AM and Varsity Network | Talent: Cody Junot (PxP), Bobby Neveaux (analyst)
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsSB

2025 SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 7
Game 1 – No. 7 Coastal Carolina vs. No. 10 Southern Miss – 4:00 p.m.
Game 2 – No. 8 Troy vs. No. 9 James Madison – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 8
Game 3 – No. 3 Louisiana vs. No. 6 App State – 10:00 a.m.
Game 4 – No. 2 Marshall vs. Game 1 Winner – 1:00 p.m.
Game 5 – No. 1 Texas State vs. Game 2 Winner – 4:00 p.m.
Game 6 – No. 4 ULM vs. No. 5 Georgia Southern – 7:00 p.m.

Friday, May 9
Game 7 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner – 4:00 p.m.
Game 8 – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 10
Championship – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 1:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

LEADING OFF
>> Louisiana enters postseason play on Thursday, May 8 in the quarterfinal round of the Sun Belt Championship Tournament at the Troy Softball Complex in Troy, Alabama.

>> The Ragin' Cajuns won nine of their last 10 SBC games to elevate themselves to the No. 3 seed in the tournament.

>> UL's strong finish to the regular season brought the team from 11th in the SBC standings on April 12 to the third place finish.

>> In the tournament opener, Louisiana and App State are meeting in the SBC's postseason event for the first time.

>> The Cajuns and Mountaineers did not meet in the regular season.

>> UL has played for the SBC Championship Tournament title in all but two of the previous 24 events, last winning a title in Troy in 2021.

TRENDING
>> Since April 1, Mallory Wheeler (2.40), Sam Ryan (1.65) and Tyra Clary (2.62) have all posted sub-3.00 ERAs.

>> The pitching staff's ERA since April 1 stands at 2.63.

>> Defense has just three errors the last three weeks of play (67.0 innings).

>> Mallory Wheeler's yielded two runs or less in five of her last seven starts.

>> Maddie Hayden batted 7-for-8 with a multi-hit performance all three games last week vs. USM. She leads UL with 20 multiple-hit games.

>> Dayzja Williams turned in four multi-hit efforts the last three SBC series, batting .414 and totaling 12 hits in the stretch (USA, TXST, USM).

>> Emily Smith has delivered an RBI in five of the last six games.

>> Tyra Clary has yielded only one run the last 8-1/3 innings as a reliever.

>> In SBC play, 12 different players contributed multiple RBI.

SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
All-Time Record: 74-10 (.881)
Championships: 18
Last Championship: 2023 (Lafayette, La.)
Current Streak: L1 (2024-present)
Longest Streak: W22 (2000-06)
Most Consecutive Titles: 7 (2000-06)

>> Louisiana holds the all-time record with 18 titles won in the SBC Championship Tournament.
>> Cajuns previously won the title at the Troy Softball Complex in 2008, 2017 and 2021.
>> UL has been at least a Top 3 seed throughout the entire history of the SBC Championship Tournament (2000-present).
>> Louisiana earned the No. 1 seed in 21 of the previous 24 instances of the tournament.
>> Won tournament opener each year since 2010.
>> Played for the title last 10 times (2014-19, 2021-24).
>> Among 2025 field, UL's most common opponent in the SBC Championship Tournament final is Texas State – met five times (2016-18, 2022, 2024).

THIS 'N THAT
>> Of the Cajuns' 10 losses in SBC play, seven were by one run.

>> UL stands No. 2 nationally in double plays turned, per game and overall.

>> Nos. 3-4 hitters Emily Smith (24) and Sam Roe (19) accounted for 43 of the 95 RBI (45%) that Louisiana recorded in SBC play.

>> Cajuns stand 21-4 when leading after five and own four comeback wins in the seventh or later (Ole Miss, Houston, ULM, South Alabama).

>> Starting with the Troy series finale, the pitching staff held foes to two runs or less during seven of the next nine games (from April 5-21).

>> Emily Smith, the 2025 SBC Freshman of the Year, was the only true freshman to rank Top 10 in SBC play in average, OPS, RBI and home runs.

>> Emily Smith has a team-leading 43 RBI. The last true freshman who was the sole individual leader in RBI was Holly Tankersley (53 RBI) in 2004.

>> Sam Ryan's combined shutout of Southern Miss was the third shutout that she was involved in since April 1.

>> Maddie Hayden sits nine (9) RBI shy from holding 200 hits, 100 runs, 100 RBI and 50 stolen bases in her collegiate career.

>> Kayla Falterman carried a .400-plus average through April. She's second on the squad with a career-high 12 multiple-hit games.

>> Savannah White has eight (8) caught stealing and foes have only 34 steal attempts in her 46 appearances.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
A win on Thursday would advance Louisiana to the 4:00 p.m. semifinal contest of the SBC Softball Championship Tournament in Troy, Alabama on Friday, May 9 to play against the winner of the Marshall and Coastal Carolina-Southern Miss first round survivor.

The championship game is set for Saturday, May 10 at 1:30 p.m. live on ESPN2.

A loss on Thursday eliminates the Ragin' Cajuns from the single-elimination tournament at the Troy Softball Complex.

All nine tournament games will be available on ESPN+. Fans can also hear all of the Ragin' Cajuns contests on The Goat 103.3 FM and 1420 AM in the Acadiana region and worldwide on The Varsity Network.

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 encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

Fans can support the softball student athletes, and invest in the program's future, through the Krewe Allons NIL Collective (click here).

- www.RaginCajuns.com -

Louisiana Takes Aim at SBC Title While in Troy

Players Mentioned

Tyra Clary

Kayla Falterman

Maddie Hayden

Sam Roe

Sam Ryan

Emily Smith

Mallory Wheeler

Savannah White

Dayzja Williams

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Louisiana Takes Aim at SBC Title While in Troy

Players Mentioned

Tyra Clary

Kayla Falterman

Maddie Hayden

Sam Roe

Sam Ryan

Emily Smith

Mallory Wheeler

Savannah White

Dayzja Williams

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