Troy turns tables late, takes softball series opener from Ragin’ Cajuns

Trojans walk-off homer puts Ragin’ Cajuns behind in Sun Belt series for first time this spring

TROY, Ala. – On their second comeback of the night the Troy Trojans were able to overtake the No. 25-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team as Audra Thompson belted a walk-off hoxx in Troy, Alabama.

Louisiana (34-13, 14-2 SBC) saw its nine-game conference winning streak snapped and fell behind 1-0 in a Sun Belt series for the first time this season. Troy (30-13-1, 11-4-1 SBC) snapped a 10-game losing streak to Louisiana and tightened the distance in the SBC standings between the two teams.

After the two teams swapped four-run frames spanning the third and fourth innings, it was the Ragin’ Cajuns jumping back in front in the fifth inning on Karly Heath’s solo home run.

Kandra Lamb kept momentum on the Cajuns side in the bottom of the fifth as she worked around the Trojans’ top two home run threats to post a scoreless frame.

At what the time appeared to be valuable insurance for the Ragin’ Cajuns, it was Alexa Langeliers leading off the sixth with a solo home run and Mihyia Davis perfectly executing a squeeze bunt to force in another run for a 7-4 advantage.

The Trojans, though, had other plans as they started their second comeback of the evening in the bottom of the sixth taking advantage of a Louisiana miscue that kept the inning alive for run-scoring singles from Natalie Turner and Jade Sinness that trimmed the deficit to 7-6.

A quick 1-2-3 inning from first baseman-turned reliever Libby Baker in the top of the seventh kept the momentum on Troy’s side and she continued the pendulum swing in the bottom half with a leadoff double.

Meghan Schorman pushed the Trojans up against the wall as she bounced back to strike out Taylor McKinney and induced a grounder from Ainslee Finch. However, three pitches later it was Thompson rifling the heroic two-run shot over the wall down the left field line to stun the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Louisiana was led at the plate by two-hit efforts from Davis, Jourdyn Campbell and Maddie Hayden. Davis and Campbell drove in the first two runs of the four-run spurt that put the Cajuns up 4-0 in the third inning.

Davis led the way with two RBI, picking up a multiple-RBI game for the third straight outing (since Texas State series finale). She’s picked up seven RBI during the stretch increasing her season total to 14 RBI.

Heath upped her team-leading home run total to 12, moving within one of matching her career-high total (13 hit in 2022). Langeliers collected her 10th home run to join Heath in double figures for the second straight season.

Sam Landry (3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 K) held the Trojans scoreless for the first three innings before a Baker home run and Thompson RBI double started the four-spot for the hosts in the fourth inning.

Lamb held Troy in check for 2-1/3 innings before an untimely miscue led to a pair of unearned runs in the sixth inning. Schorman was charged with the loss after Thompson’s walk-off home run spoiled her bid at the save.

Twice last season the Ragin’ Cajuns overcame a 1-0 series deficit (Georgia State, App State) to continue its streak of consecutive Sun Belt series won which currently stands at 78 straight dating back to March 2013.

Despite the loss, Louisiana still maintained its hold on first place in the Sun Belt standings. The Ragin’ Cajuns lead over Marshall was lowered to one game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns dropped a contest to Troy for only the seventh time in 47 SBC regular season matchups and 53rd meeting overall.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana and Troy return to the Troy Softball Complex in Troy, Alabama on Saturday, April 22 to continue the three-game Sun Belt series with Game 2 of the weekend set beginning at 2:00 p.m.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will seek to even the series and keep alive the chances of continuing their streak of consecutive Sun Belt Conference series won which is at 78 straight dating back to March 2013.

Television coverage is available on ESPN+. Fans in the Acadiana region can also keep up with the action with Cody Junot and Bobby Neveaux on the call on 103.3 FM and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network. Live stats will be provided at CajunStats.com.

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