Box Score | Championship Central
TROY, Ala. – Coastal Carolina won its fourth game in as many days and defeated James Madison, 3-2, to win its first Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship in program history Saturday at the Troy University Softball Complex.
The Chanticleers earn the Sun Belt’s automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Softball Championship where they will make their sixth tournament appearance in program history and first since 2012. The field for the 2025 NCAA Division I Softball Championship will be announced Sunday, May 11 and televised nationally on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.
Coastal Carolina (41-17) was led by senior left-hander Nicolette Picone who spun her fourth complete game of the tournament, scattering five hits, two walks and two earned runs with three strikeouts. The 2025 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, Picone was named Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player after throwing every pitch for the Chanticleers on the way to a 4-0 record with a 2.13 ERA across 28 innings in the circle.
Following a three-hour and 21-minute rain delay that began with two outs and runners on the corners in the top of the sixth inning, Picone escaped the jam and then retired James Madison (28-26) in order in the seventh.
Coastal Carolina got the bottom of the seventh inning started with a leadoff single by outfielder Clara Hudgens, who advanced to second base on a wild pitch and to third on a single through the right side by outfielder Libby Pippin. A four-pitch walk to Delaney Keith loaded the bases with no outs. The next batter was first baseman Georgia Hood who took an 0-1 pitch in the dirt that bounced away from the Dukes’ catcher and scored Hudgens for the game-winning run.
In addition to Picone, four Chanticleers earned All-Tournament Team honors including Keith, second baseman Keirstin Roose and designated player McKennah Metzger.
In the top of the first inning James Madison designated player Payton List struck the first pitch of the game into right field for a triple and scored five pitches later on an RBI groundout by outfielder Kylee Gleason for the game’s first run.
Coastal Carolina grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after a leadoff double by Roose. Two batters later and with one out, Metzger deposited a 1-0 pitch and deposited it over the left field wall for a two-run home run to put the Chanticleers in front, 2-1.
Dukes outfielder Kylee Gleason led off the top of the sixth inning with a single before Legzdin hit a one-out RBI double to left center, scoring Gleason from first, to tie the game at two before the rain delay began.
List finished the game 2-for-4 and pitched two innings in the circle, allowing three hits and two walks. Gleason and Legzdin also added one hit and one RBI apiece as two of three James Madison selections to the All-Tournament Team.
The Chanticleers earn the Sun Belt’s automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Softball Championship where they will make their sixth tournament appearance in program history and first since 2012. The field for the 2025 NCAA Division I Softball Championship will be announced Sunday, May 11 and televised nationally on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.
2025 Sun Belt Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player: Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina
McKennah Metzger, Coastal Carolina
Keirstin Roose, Coastal Carolina
Kirsten Fleet, James Madison
Kylee Gleason, James Madison
Cali Legzdin, James Madison
Meagan Brown, ULM
Dakota Lake, ULM
Sam Roe, Louisiana