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Louisiana Softball Downs Iowa and Alabama in Spring Break ShowdownLouisiana Sweeps Play on Saturday in Tuscaloosa Ragin’ Cajuns captured victory in rematches with Iowa and No. 21 Alabama in Spring Break Showdown TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team had a bounce back day on Saturday, March 8 in the Spring Break Showdown at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, reversing the results from Friday in rematches against Iowa and No. 21 Alabama. Louisiana (13-9) received strong pitching performances from both Mallory Wheeler and Tyra Clary and executed offensively in key moments to land the 2-0 day. As a result, the Ragin’ Cajuns finished with an even mark in Tuscaloosa, at 2-2, and on the 10-day trek away from campus finishing 5-5 in the stretch that began last weekend at Auburn’s Jane B. Moore Memorial. The win over the Crimson Tide (19-7) in the tournament finale marked the first ranked victory for the Ragin’ Cajuns with head coach Alyson Habetz. For Habetz, who coached alongside Patrick Murphy at Alabama from 1999-2023, it marked a happy ending to her homecoming trip to The Rhoads House. The day started with Wheeler (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K) tossing a complete game three-hit shutout of Iowa (14-7), closing her commanding performance by retiring 15 of the last 16 batters including the last night straight. Heads-up base running by Maddie Hayden (2-for-3, RBI) in the bottom of the first led to the only run Wheeler would need. Hayden, who singled to lead off, wound up scoring from second base as the Hawkeyes were attempting to field a sacrifice bunt attempt from Cecilia Vasquez. The next inning Hayden singled in a run, delivering a two-out infield single with bases loaded. Wheeler continued to work and her insurance run eventually came in the sixth inning on a two-out RBI triple from Erin Ardoin (2-for-2, triple, RBI). Wheeler would face only five batters over the minimum in collecting the pitching staff’s second shutout. She’s had a hand in both of UL’s shutouts (combined with Bethaney Noble on Feb. 28 vs. Rutgers). Clary (7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 K) buckled down after the Tide plated two runs with two outs in the first inning for a quick 2-0 lead. The hosts wouldn’t record another tally until they were down to their last out, Clary not allowing a runner past second base until the seventh inning. Louisiana evened the score in the third inning with a clutch two-out, two-run single from Vasquez (1-for-2, 2 RBI). The execution in key moments continued the next inning as three straight perfectly placed bunts, the latter a squeeze play from Hayden (2-for-3, RBI), plated Savannah White who led off with an infield single as the Cajuns grabbed the lead. Clary retired six straight after Kennedy Marceaux’s leadoff single in the fourth to protect the one-run edge. She was provided insurance in the sixth inning as the Cajuns continued to apply pressure on the Bama defense, Hayden and Falterman putting the ball in play which ultimately led to Mia Liscano (leadoff single) scoring. A double play ball brought Clary into the seventh inning with the lead still intact. The Crimson Tide challenged her in the bottom of the seventh as three straight batters reached base with two outs leading to a run slicing the Cajuns lead to 4-3. Clary would be undeterred by the late Bama push, though, as she induced a comeback grounder from cleanup hitter Alexis Pupillo for the final out the clinched Louisiana’s first win in Tuscaloosa since 2015. Hayden, who delivered a pair of two-hit games to total four hits, and Ardoin, with her three-hit effort after being inserted into the starting lineup, were the top offensive performers of the day. Vasquez totaled three RBI over the two contests to push her team-leading season total to 24 RBI. Wheeler and Clary combined to work all 14 innings in the circle and held the Hawkeyes and Crimson Tide to a combined 10 hits on a .204 average. Saturday’s success broke a five-game losing streak for Louisiana and kept the team above the .500 mark. UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA The Ragin’ Cajuns return to the state of Louisiana for a midweek game at No. 5 LSU on Tuesday, March 11 at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge. The first round of the UL-LSU midweek home-and-home series gets underway at 6:00 p.m. FOLLOW THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin’ Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms. Matt Hebert Associate Director of Athletics Communications Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns® 201 Reinhardt Dr. Room 167 Lafayette, LA 70506 desk (337) 482-6330 cell (337) 288-6023 email matth@louisiana.edu twitter @mattlhebert
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