In the end, UL’s offense just wasn’t enough.
Through pure determination, somehow the Ragin’ Cajuns won 10 of their last 11 Sun Belt games to reach the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals again as the No. 3 seed.
But most of that was achieved with few runs being scored and that trend caught up with the Cajuns on Friday when No. 7-seeded Coastal Carolina claimed a 6-1 win over UL to advance to the championship game.
The loss ended the Cajuns’ season at 29-25 overall. Coastal Carolina improved to 40-17 with the win.
“I’m obviously heartbroken because I really wanted it for the seniors, because they deserved it, but for whatever reason it didn’t happen the way that we planned it to happen,” UL coach Alyson Habetz said. “It’s just a tremendous group of young ladies that I’m extremely proud of and honored to coach.”
It’ll be the first time since 1998 UL doesn’t compete in an NCAA regional.
“I’m responsible and I take full responsibility,” Habetz said. “We fell short this year, but definitely motivated for what’s to come. Sad for those seven young ladies who I won’t have a chance to coach again but excited for the future of this program.”
The Chanticleers showed why their lineup is one of the best in the Sun Belt, peppering UL starter Mallory Wheeler early on. Coastal took a 1-0 lead in the third, but blew it open with five runs in the fourth to essentially put the game on ice.
Reese Collier got the barrage going with an RBI double and then it was followed by a triple to Clara Hudgens, run-scoring single for Libby Pippen and then a sacrifice fly from Georgia Hood.
Maddy Jennings finished it off with RBI single to help Coastal pound out 11 hits in the win.
Meanwhile, Coastal ace pitcher Nicolette Picone dominated in the circle to improve to 27-9 on the season, allowing one run on four hits, two walks and four strikeouts. One day after throwing 117 pitches, Picone got the complete game in 90 pitches in this contest.
“It was somewhat surprised because when we played them at Coastal, our lefties did great against her and our righties struggled,” Habetz said. “Today, she owned our lefties. Our lefties just weren’t seeing it.”
The only run Picone allowed came in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Sam Roe.
“We’re not used to striking out a whole lot, especially a Maddie Hayden, she never strikes out — but she was making it move,” Habetz said. “Maddie told me in her last at-bat she hadn’t seen that pitch before. She had a little extra juice on it and obviously she’s a competitor.
“She was better than us today for sure, making the ball move.”
In addition to the 11 hits, the Chanticleers left nine others on base.
Wheeler gave up four runs on six hits, two walks and no strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Sam Ryan finished out her career in style, tossing 3.1 innings shutout winning with one walk and one strikeout.
“Sam Ryan don’t talk enough about her,” Habetz said. “It’s one thing for a senior to buy in with a new coach and very rarely does a senior get that much better. Sam Ryan got that much better.
“Everytime we gave her the ball, she was ready.”
