MOBILE, ALA. – The Coastal Carolina softball team fought until the end but fell to the top-seed Louisiana, 4-2, on Tuesday morning in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Sun Belt Softball Championship at Jaguar Field. 
 
With the loss, CCU dropped to 22-28 overall while Louisiana improved to 42-11 with the victory.
 
The Chanticleers will now face either Texas State or Appalachian State on Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET in the first game of the consolation bracket.
 
For the second day in a row, Makiya Thomas drove a lead-off single to center field in the first inning before she stole second as the Tacoma, Wash. native extended her hitting streak to 14 games. However, the Chants would leave her stranded on second. 
 
In the top of the second inning, Maddy Jennings was hit by a pitch to become Coastal's second base runner of the day, however, back-to-back strikeouts left her at first as the score remained 0-0.
 
Louisiana's Alexa Langeliers led off the home half of the second inning with a lead-off single to left field. Karly Heath followed with a bunt that advanced Langerliers before Melissa Mayeux reached on a fielder's choice as the Chants doubled up Langerliers and Heath on the play. Raina O'Neal doubled to center field which scored Mayeux before a Chanticleers' error allowed O'Neal to advance to third to make the score 1-0. 
 
The top of the third inning saw the Chanticleers go down in order for the first time in the game, as the Ragin' Cajuns held tight to the 1-0 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the third, Jourdyn Campbell blooped a two-out double down the right-field line before Sophie Piskos was hit by a pitch. Kaitlin Beasley-Polko picked up her first strikeout of the day as she struck out Langeliers to end the inning. 
 
CCU's Iyanla De Jesus started the top of the fourth inning with a single past the Ragin' Cajuns' shortstop before Keirstin Roose reached on a fielder's choice and De Jesus was out on the play. Roose stole second base before a Louisiana throwing error advanced her to third base but a Coastal fly out ended the inning. 
 
Mayeux sent a single to left field before Maddie Hayden was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth. Stormy Kotzelnick drove in Mayeux with a shot up the middle over the head of Beasley-Polko to put Louisiana up 2-0. 
 
Abby Jankay drew the Chanticleers' first walk of the day before Shae Schreckengost grounded into a double play for the Ragin' Cajuns to end the top of the fifth inning. 
 
The Ragin Cajuns' used a two-run bottom of the fifth inning to push past the Chanticleers and make the score 4-0, courtesy of a Langerliers two-run home run. 
 
Thomas began the sixth inning with a lead-off double to the right-center field wall followed by an Abbey Montoya bunt to put runners on first and third. Riley Zana followed Montoya's stolen base with a double to the left-field wall to make the score 4-2.  
 
However, that would be the last runs of the contest, as the Chants went down in order in the top of the seventh as Louisiana escaped with the 4-2 win.
 
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (Twitter), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers(Facebook), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina at www.GoCCUsports.com.