LAFAYETTE, La. - Texas State, Coastal Carolina, ULM and South Alabama earned victories and advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship on Thursday at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
 
Third-seeded Texas State (37-19) upended sixth-seeded James Madison (27-24), 5-2, behind a five-run outburst in the sixth inning before 10th-seeded Coastal Carolina (26-30) upset second-seeded Marshall (37-17), 6-0, for the second year in a row to set up the first semifinal matchup on Friday at 3 p.m.
 
The contest will mark a meeting between the Sun Belt’s last two tournament champions after the Bobcats won in 2024 on their home field before the Chanticleers won the 2025 title in Troy, Ala.
 
Top-seeded ULM (38-19) posted a 3-0 shutout victory over host and eighth-seeded Louisiana (29-27) in the third quarterfinal, as fifth-seeded South Alabama (30-25) avenged a regular season series sweep by dismantling fourth-seeded Southern Miss (33-24) in the final contest of the evening. The Warhawks will take on the Jaguars at 6 p.m. on Friday.
 
Both semifinal games in the Sun Belt Softball Championship will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
Game 3: (3) Texas State 5, (6) James Madison 2 (Box Score)
Texas State escaped a bases loaded jam in the first inning, but James Madison struck first with two outs in the second frame on a solo home run to deep center off the bat of No. 9 hitter and freshman right fielder Emma Jo Evans.
 
The Dukes doubled their lead with two outs in the fourth inning when junior second baseman Madison Edwards dunked in an RBI double down the left field line to score graduate outfielder Kylee Gleason.
 
James Madison redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Payton List spun five innings of shutout ball while allowing just one hit and three walks, but Texas State broke her rhythm early in the sixth inning. Senior outfielder Keely Williams led off the frame with a double, and senior shortstop Sami Hood singled her home one batter later.
 
The Bobcats loaded the bases with a pair of walks and tied the game on an RBI groundout. That’s when junior third baseman Kate Bubela delivered a one-out, three-run home run just over the left center field wall to put the Bobcats in front, 5-2.
 
Texas State senior right-handed pitcher Emma Strood three scoreless innings of relief and allowed just one hit and a walk to earn the win in the circle.
 
The Dukes left 10 runners on base in the contest but were led by two hits from Gleason and All-Sun Belt First Team junior shortstop Kendra Lewis’ double and three walks in four plate appearances.
 
Game 4: (10) Coastal Carolina 6, (2) Marshall 0 (Box Score)
Junior right-handed pitcher Abby Henderson spun a complete-game, one-hit shutout with five walks and five strikeouts to run her scoreless streak to 11 2/3 innings in this year’s tournament.
 
Coastal Carolina led off the game with a walk, followed by a two-run home run by fifth-year first baseman Georgia Hood in the top of the first inning - her 23rd deep fly of the season - to move her into a tie for the fifth most in a season in Sun Belt history.
 
After three-consecutive scoreless innings, the Chanticleers loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning for senior left fielder Libby Pippin who hammered a 1-2 offering off the top of the scoreboard in right field for a grand slam to extend the advantage to 6-0.
 
Marshall loaded the bases in the bottom half of the frame, but Henderson secured a timely strikeout to end the threat.
 
Game 5: (1) ULM 3, (8) Louisiana 0 (Box Score)
ULM senior right-handed pitcher Ashanti McDade allowed just four hits and no walks on 89 pitches while striking out two in a complete-game shutout, as junior shortstop Elle Carter led the way with two hits and run scored.
 
Both sides went scoreless for the first four-and-a-half innings, as McDade allowed just one hit while inducing 13 groundouts to that point.
 
The Warhawks put runners on the corners to begin the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff infield single by senior outfielder Carys Platt and junior outfielder Brooklin Lippert reaching on an error. The Ragin’ Cajuns made a pitching change before ULM loaded the bases with one out when Platt beat a throw home on a fielder’s choice off a batted ball to the left side of the infield for the game’s first run.
 
ULM added one more run in the inning on a sacrifice fly to right field by sophomore pinch hitter Hollie Thomas to score Lippert, increasing the advantage to 2-0.
 
After Louisiana put a pair of runners on base in the top of the sixth with two outs but were unable to score, ULM added its third run of the game in the bottom half when junior outfielder Meagan Brown sent a ground ball back through the box and into center field to score Carter from second base for an insurance run.
 
Game 6: (5) South Alabama 13, (4) Southern Miss 0 (5 inn.) (Box Score)
South Alabama junior right-handed pitcher Ryley Harrison spun a one-high shutout while walking two and striking out nine, as the Jaguars scored a season-high 13 runs on 11 hits to reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons.
 
South Alabama used a second chance to its advantage in the top of the first inning, scoring the game’s first run with two outs on a collision between defenders resulting in a dropped popup in shallow left field. Freshman shortstop Lillie Stagner hammered the very next pitch deep over the left field for a three-run home run to give the Jaguars an early 4-0 lead.
 
The Jags scored their fifth run with one out in the top of the fourth when sophomore catcher Ansleigh Smith laced an RBI double into the left center field scoring freshman pinch runner Gracie McDonald from first base.
 
South Alabama blew the game open to start the fifth inning with eight more runs and put the game out of reach, as Harrison retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame to complete the run-rule victory.
 
2026 Sun Belt Softball Championship Schedule
Wednesday, May 6
Game 1 – No. 10 Coastal Carolina def. No. 7 Georgia Southern, 6-2
Game 2 – No. 8 Louisiana def. No. 9 Troy, 5-0
 
Thursday, May 7
Game 3 – No. 3 Texas State def. No. 6 James Madison, 5-2
Game 4 – No. 10 Coastal Carolina def. No. 2 Marshall, 6-0
Game 5 – No. 1 ULM def. No. 8 Louisiana, 3-0
Game 6 – No. 5 South Alabama def. No. 4 Southern Miss, 13-0 (5 inn.)
 
Friday, May 8
Game 7 – No. 3 Texas State vs. No. 10 Coastal Carolina – 3 p.m. CT
Game 8 – No. 1 ULM vs. No. 5 South Alabama – 6 p.m. CT
 
Saturday, May 9
Championship – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 1:30 p.m. CT (ESPN2)