Macey Smith entered in relief after Alex Stewart was lifted following illegal pitch calls and went on to record all 15 outs. Smith pitched five innings of no-hit softball in her longest outing in the circle since tossing six innings in a complete game on Feb. 27 vs. Rutgers at Lamson Park.

Aleah Craighton tied her career-high of six RBI, reaching the mark for the third time in her career, to lead the offense. On the eve of her birthday, Craighton finished 2-for-2 at the plate with a two-run triple to open the scoring in the first inning and a grand slam in the fourth inning to elevate the lead over the run-rule margin (at 11-0).

With the win, and the Sun Belt’s automatic bid, the Ragin’ Cajuns (43-7) locked up the program’s 26th overall NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 27 seasons. The Ragin’ Cajuns will also continue to be part of a group – which included nine schools at the start of the season – that has appeared in each NCAA Tournament since 2000.

“Our team stood strong today and they’re champions,” Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Michael Lotief said. “And they deserve to be labeled champions.

“Our community, University and fan base are second to none,” Lotief added. “They’re our inspiration, the wind beneath our wings and they’ve support and loved this program for a lot of years. It makes me feel so good that this makes our fan base and our community so proud to be a part of ‘Us’.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns will learn of their NCAA Tournament assignment for the regional round on Sunday at 9 p.m. (CDT) during the NCAA Softball Selection Show live on ESPNU

Smith’s biggest moment came in the first inning after an error allowed a second Bobcats runner to reach base with no outs in the opening inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third, she fired back and notched a strikeout of Corrina Liscano then induced a ground ball to Kara Gremillion for the final out.

A two-out walk by Kelsey Vincent, who later picked up her second home run of the tournament in the third inning, kept the bottom of the first alive for Craighton and moved Shellie Landry (one-out single) into scoring position.

Both Landry and Vincent would score as Craighton lifted a pitch into shallow left field that Texas State’s Kimberlin Naivar dove in an attempt to catch, but came up short and the ball rolled past her into the left field corner. Craighton was thrown out at home attempting an inside the park home run, but the Ragin’ Cajuns were on their way to the championship.

After a scoreless second inning, the Ragin’ Cajuns began adding to their lead in the third inning. An error by Randi Rupp allowed Haley Hayden to reach base with one out, she moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and motored home on a double by Landry.

Lexie Elkins filed out left field, but Rupp’s error earlier in the inning made it possible for Vincent to step to the plate and launch a two-out homer to left center increasing the lead to 5-0.

Louisiana batted around in the fourth inning, sending 10 to the plate, and produced seven runs highlighted by Craighton’s grand slam to push the advantage to 12-0.

Smith, who worked around walks in the second and third inning, retired the last six batters that she faced in completing the combined no-hitter with Stewart.

DIAMOND NOTES: The announced crowd was 467 of which the vast majority was Ragin’ Cajuns faithful…Entering the contest Macey Smith had pitched a total of 21-2/3 innings over 12 appearances, but had been preparing for the situation with five appearances over the final three Sun Belt regular season series and relief stints in the first two games of the tournament…With the win the Ragin’ Cajuns improved to 53-8 all-time in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament…It’s the second time that the Ragin’ Cajuns win the league’s postseason event in Mobile (won in 2010)…Louisiana’s all-tournament representatives included: Haley Hayden, Macey Smith Kelsey Vincent and Aleah Craighton who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player…Aleah Craighton (grand slam) and DJ Sanders (solo) both homered in the fourth inning to increase their season home run total to 17 tying them with Lexie Elkins for the team lead…Craighton finished the SBC Tournament 6-for-9 (.667) with a double, triple, home run, nine RBI and a 1.233 slugging percentage…Craighton posted multiple hits all three games of the tournament, increasing her season total to 14 multi-hit games…The six RBI marked Aleah Craighton’s 13th multiple-RBI game and the ninth time posting at least three RBI…As a team, the Ragin’ Cajuns hit .390 and saw eight different players with multiple hits in producing 30 over three outings…Louisiana clubbed 13 extra base hits in the SBC Tournament, and spread them around the field with six doubles, two triples and five home runs.

#GeauxCajuns