CONWAY, S.C. (KLFY) – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team made a charge at evening its Sun Belt series at Coastal Carolina behind a game-high five RBI from Emily Smith, but the host-Chanticleers held on for a 10-8 win on Saturday, March 29 at St. John Stadium in Conway, South Carolina.

Smith (2-for-4, double, HR, 5 RBI) cleared a bases-loaded situation for the Cajuns (16-17, 3-5 SBC) with a one-out double in the seventh, slicing a five-run deficit down to two runs at 10-8 and bringing the tying run up to the plate.

Louisiana’s late push was halted though, as Coastal relief pitcher Nicolette Picone would gather herself and induce back-to-back ground balls to officially close out the series clincher for the Chanticleers (28-7, 5-3 SBC).

The Cajuns, who scored five runs in their final two at bats, wound up falling short due to a quiet four-inning stretch from the second through the fifth inning when only two over the minimum went to the plate.

It was a loud start for Louisiana which opened with a three-spot in the first inning initially ignited by Smith’s two-run home run just four batters into the contest.

CCU starting pitcher Abby Henderson (6.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) settled in long enough for her offense to gradually catch up to and overtake the Cajuns. Henderson would hold the Cajuns scoreless for the next four innings and her teammates pushed across seven unanswered runs.

The Chants mainly manufactured runs their first four at bats in claiming the lead, getting a sac fly, RBI ground out and infield RBI single along the way in pulling ahead 4-3 in the fourth inning.

Coastal gained separation from the Cajuns and broke Mallory Wheeler’s hold in her relief effort in the fifth inning after back-to-back hits to start the frame. A pair of one-out singles later followed pushing across two runs and that was followed by a sacrifice fly which upped the lead to 7-3.

Louisiana started its comeback effort with two outs in the sixth inning when Laney Credeur hit a solo home run and Mia Liscano doubled, stole third and scored on a throwing error trimming CCU’s lead to 7-5.

Coastal responded with its own two-out rally and the Cajuns were put at arm’s length once again. Wheeler collected a pair of fly outs to start the bottom of the sixth, but a double, double and home run netted the Chants three critical insurance runs.

Erin Ardoin and Maddie Hayden singled to start the top of the seventh eventually chasing Henderson from the circle. Lillian Soto drew a pinch-hit walk to make Picone’s relief job that much tougher and Smith greeted her with the bases-clearing double that kept UL’s comeback hopes alive.

Smith’s RBI total (5) marked the highest output by a Cajun this season. Saturday’s performance moved her to 11-of-20 (.550) with three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI over the last six games since returning from injury on March 21.

The first-inning home run was Smith’s team-leading eighth of her collegiate rookie season while the RBI-ouput was her seventh multiple-RBI game. She stretched her hitting streak to a season-best seven games.

Credeur picked up the first home run of her senior season and recorded a third straight SBC game with at least one hit. She’s driven in at least one run both games in Conway and has five RBI the last three SBC outings.

Smith and Credeur were joined by Liscano (2-for-3, double) and Ardoin (2-for-3) in posting multiple-hit games as Louisiana piled up a weekend-high 11 hits.

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