SAN MARCOS, Texas – Four-plus commanding innings pitched by Sam Landry and a big second inning landed the No. 18-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team an 8-0 (5 inn.) win over James Madison in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Championship tournament on Thursday, May 9 in San Marcos, Texas.

Landry struck out four and scattered three hits over 4-1/3 innings in the circle. She held the Dukes hitless with runners in scoring position (0-for-5), passing the test early as JMU placed a runner at second in the first two innings.

The offense grabbed the lead early for Landry, sparked by Maddie Hayden (2-for-3) who singled, stole second and later scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first.

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The Ragin’ Cajuns (41-16) then put the Dukes (31-22) away after loading the bases with no outs in the second inning. The next three at bats following Victoria Valdez’s walk which loaded the bases put Louisiana on easy street the rest of contest.

Cecilia Vasquez’s grounder to third and Samantha Graeter’s pinch hit single through the left side plated the next two runs upping the lead to 3-0. Mihyia Davis followed with a two-run single that bounced up the middle of the infield to stretch the advantage to 5-0.

There would be no possibility of a comeback attempt by JMU as keyed by a pair of double plays turned by the Cajuns defense the Dukes sent one batter over the minimum through the fifth inning.

Sam Roe’s towering solo home run in the third inning and Alexa Langeliers’ two-run single in the fifth inning put the finishing touches on the scoring for Louisiana.

Hayden upped her season hits total to 64, second-most on the team, and collected her 19th multiple-hit game. The home run was Roe’s ninth of the season moving her into a tie for the team lead with Langeliers.

Davis extended her hitting streak to 14 games, her second streak of with that length this season which ties a career-high. She picked up her fourth multiple-RBI game and upped her season hits total to 82 moving within 10 of the program’s single-season record.

Louisiana remained perfect (7-0) against JMU since the Dukes joined the Sun Belt Conference (in 2023).

The Ragin’ Cajuns improved to 73-9 (.890) all-time in the SBC Championship tournament and extended their win streak in the event to 15 straight games dating back to 2019.

Thursday’s win advanced UL into the semifinals of the SBC Championship tournament. It’s the 23rd time in the 24-year history of the event (2001-24) that the Ragin’ Cajuns reach the semifinal round.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
No. 18 Louisiana meets the winner of Thursday’s Coastal Carolina-Troy quarterfinal round contest on Friday, May 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the semifinal round of the Sun Belt Conference Championship tournament.

Live television coverage of Friday’s semifinal contest is available on ESPN+ while a radio broadcast is available on The Goat 103.3 FM and 1420 AM in the Acadiana region and worldwide on The Varsity Network.

Tickets remain available and can be purchased at TXST.com/Tickets. For all championship-related information, click to visit Sun Belt Softball Championship Central.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.