TROY, Ala. – No. 1 seed Louisiana claimed its 16th Sun Belt Softball Championship title to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after outpacing No. 4 seed South Alabama 15-3 in five innings on Saturday in Troy, Alabama.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (44-10) picked up their second-consecutive conference tournament title, going unbeaten during the week and giving up just nine runs. Louisiana will be making its 30th appearance in the NCAA tournament.

The field for the 2021 NCAA Division I Softball Championship is scheduled to be announced Sunday, May 16, at 8 p.m. CT, on ESPN2.

The Sun Belt has an opportunity to have multiple teams selected, with four total teams ranked in the top 50 in the RPI. In addition to the Ragin’ Cajuns, currently 22nd, Texas State sits in 32nd, South Alabama is 40th and Troy is 44th.

The Jaguars (30-19) advanced from the elimination bracket semifinal to start the day, upsetting No. 2 seed Texas State 4-3 in an extra-innings thriller.
 
Championship Game
(1) Louisiana 15, (4) South Alabama 3 (5 inn.)
A well-rested Ragin' Cajuns team jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening frame and never took their foot off the gas.

A single from Kendall Talley brought in Ciara Bryan and Kaitlyn Aldernik to get things started, before Jade Gortarez brought in three more runs on a double to score Talley, Alissa Dalton and Julie Rawls. 

Louisiana rattled off 11 runs in the first three innings to keep things out of reach for South Alabama, with every Ragin' Cajuns starter crossing the plate at least once on Saturday. 

Dalton recorded the first of four home runs on the day for the Louisiana, with first baseman Melissa Mayeux rounding things out for the Ragin' Cajuns with a three-run shot to left center to bring in Sophie Piskos and Justice Milz.

Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Summer Ellyson picked up her third win of the weekend, striking out five batters in 4.0 innings of work.

The Jags avoided the shutout, with Abby Allen recording a solo shot in the bottom of the second and then coming home on an RBI single with the bases loaded in the fourth. Pinch runner Jordyn Calderon scored on a fielder's choice in the fourth frame to provide the final margin.
 
(4) South Alabama 4, (2) Texas State 3 (8 inn.)
A closely-contested semifinal resulted in the second eight-inning outing of the week with the Bobcats and Jaguars vying for the final spot in the title game.

Becoming the third different Bobcat to get the starting assignment in the pitching circle, Dalilah Barrera pitched three scoreless innings, before South Alabama added a tally with a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.  

The Jaguars’ run came after Texas State (38-12) struck first in the top half of the inning, when Kylie George scored from third on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Hailey MacKay.  

Tori McCann (4-2) entered the circle for Barrera with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fifth. A walk and a wild pitch allowed two runs to score and put South Alabama ahead 3-1. 

Texas State responded as Tara Oltmann singled home George, who hit a one-out single then advanced to second on a wild pitch, before taking second herself. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sara Vanderford to tie the game at 3-3 and force extra innings.   

McCann went on to throw two more scoreless innings, before giving way to Brooke Blackwell after two batters in the bottom of the eighth. A walk loaded the bases and a grounder to Vanderford allowed the game-ending run to score from third.  
 
All-Tournament Team
Kelly Horne, Troy
Tara Oltmann, Texas State
Sara Vanderford, Texas State
Kamdyn Kvistad, South Alabama
Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama
Jenna Hardy, South Alabama
Alissa Dalton, Louisiana
Sophie Piskos, Louisiana
Bailey Curry, Louisiana
 
Most Outstanding Player
Summer Ellyson, Louisiana