TROY, Ala. – Top-seeded Louisiana, ranked 14th in the latest USA Today/NFCA Coaches' Poll, defeated second-seeded Texas State 5-2 in the Sun Belt Championship winners' bracket final.
 
Texas State (40-14) now drops into the elimination bracket where they will face No. 5 seed UTA at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday (May 12). The victor advances to Saturday's championship game against Louisiana (44-6), which is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN platform.
 
Louisiana collected 10 hits – with seven coming as routine singles – en route to scoring its five runs. Aleah Craighton paced the Ragin' Cajuns at the plate with a RBI double and a two-run home run.
 
The Bobcats were limited to a three hits of base hits by Ragin' Cajun starter Alex Stewart (24-3). Jaelyn Young counted a double, Bailee Carter a RBI single and Alex Cruz a pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Louisiana pushed a run across with two outs in the first for the 1-0 lead. DJ Sanders, a semifinalist for USA Softball National Player of the Year, was walked and came around to score two batters later on Craighton's RBI double down the right-field line.
 
The Bobcats threatened to level the score in the home half as Christiana McDowell led off with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and moved to third via Kimberlin Naivar's sac bunt. However, McDowell would remain 60 feet from home as Louisiana's Stewart induced a weak grounder and foul popup to end the inning.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns scored two runs on four singles in the second to push their lead to 3-0. Kara Gremillion provided the RBI single to right on full count to score Corin Voinche, who reached via a fielder's choice. Sanders immediately followed with a single to center to plate Kassidy Zeringue, who laid down a bunt single earlier in the inning.
 
Texas State got a run back in the bottom of the second Carter's run-scoring single to right. Young scored from the second on the play after opening the frame with a double off the wall in right center, cutting the Ragin' Cajuns lead to 3-1.
 
Craighton homered in the fifth to boost the Ragin' Cajuns lead to 5-1. Haley Hayden, who reached first on an infield error, also scored on the round-tripper.
 
Cruz provided the 5-2 final with her pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the seventh. The blast was Cruz's second of the season.
 
Randi Rupp (26-9) suffered the loss in the circle, going 4.1 innings with four strikeouts. She allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned). Jodi Paige Williams went the 2.2 innings, scattering two hits and collecting a strikeout.
 

?? #1 @RaginCajunsSB 5 vs. #2 @TXStateSoftball 2

Softball Championship Semifinals#FunBelt pic.twitter.com/4yoovSngTs

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