After trading early blows it was a string of five unanswered runs midway through that sent Texas State on to a 9-5 win over the No. 18-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the championship game of the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship tournament on Saturday, May 11 in San Marcos, Texas.

Louisiana (42-17) recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the first inning with Brooke Ellestad delivering a two-run single in the bottom of the first and a two-run triple in the third to jump in front 4-3.

Texas State (45-13) responded immediately in the fourth inning, counterattacking with four base hits to generate a three-run frame that reclaimed the lead at 6-4.

An inning later the decisive stretch of runs was capped off by JJ Smith's two-run home run that just slipped over the top of the left field wall extending the Bobcats' advantage to 8-4.

Victoria Valdez got a run back for the Cajuns in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out RBI double, but Smith punched an RBI single up the middle in the top of the sixth to regain the four-run edge.

The Bobcats turned to Jessica Mullins to close it out as she induced a double play ball in the sixth and worked around a two-out single in the seventh.

The loss snapped the Ragin' Cajuns string of consecutive SBC Championship tournament titles at four straight, the first time since 2018 finishing as runner-up. It also broke UL's 16-game win streak in the event that dated back to the last stop in San Marcos in 2019.

Louisiana's defense committed an uncharacteristic three errors in the contest, two alone in the first inning, and the Bobcats took advantage plating five unearned runs.

Ellestad's 2-for-3 showing with four RBI pushed her into a tie for the team lead in the SBC Championship tournament alongside Valdez, and upped her personal single-season best total to 47. A day after her heroic home run, Valdez delivered a two-hit performance to finish .600 (3-for-5) at the plate over eight appearances in the tournament.

Mihyia Davis (2-for-4) and Maddie Hayden (2-for-4) also delivered two-hit efforts as the Ragin' Cajuns produced 10 off of Mullins which led to her being charged with five earned runs. It was the 27th and 20th multiple-hit efforts for Davis and Hayden, respectively.

Sam Landry and Chloe Riassetto each yielded six hits to the Bobcats. Riassetto wound up with the hard-luck decision as only one of the four runs she was charged with was earned.

UL made its 10th consecutive appearance in the title game of the SBC Championship and 22nd overall in the 24-year history of the event. It was the first time the Cajuns and Bobcats met for the title in San Marcos.

Louisiana was represented on the all-tournament team by Ellestad, Landry and Valdez.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
No. 18 Louisiana awaits the assignment for its 25th consecutive appearance and 33rd overall in the NCAA Tournament, which begins with the regional round at campus sites from Friday-Sunday, May 17-19.

The field of 64 teams will be announced on Sunday, May 12 at 6:00 p.m. (CDT) on ESPN2. The team will gather at Adopted Dog Brewing (329 Dulles Dr.) at 5:00 p.m. to view the selection show.