CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina softball team (33-18, 9-11 Sun Belt) dropped its final home Sun Belt Conference series of the year, 3-0, to the No. 25 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (39-13, 19-2 Sun Belt). The Chanticleers were edged 2-1 in game one of the doubleheader and suffered a 10-6 loss in game two at St. John Stadium on Saturday.
 
Game 1: No. 25 Louisiana 2, Coastal 1
 
Louisiana took an early lead in the top of the second inning after a CCU miscue and a single by Sophie Piskos put runners on first and second. Laney Craduer then stepped up to the plate and crushed a single of her own to right field to put the Ragin' Cajuns on the scoreboard at 1-0. The next hitter, Karly Heath, smashed a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in one more run to give LA a 2-0 lead.
 
The Chants answered back in the bottom of the second inning after two walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Libby Pippin was then able to drive in CCU's first run of the weekend when she blasted a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Iyanla De Jesus to narrow the gap to 2-1.
 
It was a pitching duel for the remainder of the game with the two teams combining for just two hits the rest of the way, both of which came off Louisiana's bats. Raelee Brabham pitched three, 1-2-3 innings while LA's Kandra Lamb recorded three strikeouts and 5.0-perfect innings of work to give Louisiana the 2-1 win.
 
Brabham dropped to 11-10 with the loss, giving up two runs while recording two strikeouts in her eighth complete game of the season.
 
Game 2: No. 25 Louisiana 10, Coastal 6
 
Louisiana started game two with a bang in the top of the first inning after two RBI singles, a two-run triple, and an RBI groundout gave the visiting Ragin' Cajuns a 5-0 lead.
 
CCU responded right back in the bottom of the first inning when Diamond Williams and Delaney Keith struck back-to-back singles and Riley Zana walked to load the bases. The Chants were able to push their first runs across the plate after LA dropped a fly ball in right field, which allowed Williams to score before Indya Smith belted a two-run double to reduce the deficit to 5-3.
 
The runs kept coming for the Chants in the bottom of the first inning after a groundout by Keirstin Roose and a single to right-center field by Maddy Jennings each drove in an RBI to level the score at 5-5.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns regained the lead in the top of the second inning after Piskos tripled to right field and Alexa Langeliers hit a groundout that allowed one run to score to put LA up 6-5.
 
The game of cat and mouse continued in the bottom of the fourth inning when Keith and De Jesus drilled back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third base. On the next at-bat, pinch runner Jay Wrightsman coaxed LA into a rundown at second base which allowed Keith to reach home to tie the score at 6-6.
 
Louisiana broke open the game in the top of the fifth when Maddie Hayden laced a two-run single to right field to make the score 8-6. LA was then able to extend its lead on the next play after a deflected pickoff attempt allowed Hayden and Jourdyn Campbell to reach home to put the Ragin' Cajuns up 10-6.
 
The Chants left three on base over the next three innings but didn't have enough left in the tank to pull off the comeback.
 
Nicolette Picone fell to 9-4 with the loss, recording three strikeouts while giving up five runs off seven hits in her 6.0 innings of work in the circle.
 
The Chanticleers will hit the road next weekend for their final Sun Belt Conference series against App State, May 4–6.
 
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 Athletics at goccusports.com.