SAN MARCOS, Texas — The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team came up just short on Saturday afternoon, falling 3-2 to Texas State at Bobcat Stadium. The loss evened the weekend series at one game apiece, setting up a crucial rubber match on Sunday at 12 noon Central.

The Cajuns (24-24 overall, 10-10 Sun Belt Conference) now sit in a tie for sixth place in the SBC standings, making Sunday’s finale even more critical as the regular season winds down.

Louisiana struggled to generate consistent offense against Texas State starter Emma Strood, who threw a complete game, limiting the Cajuns to just three hits while striking out five.

The bright spots for Louisiana came from a few key players:

• Emily Smith delivered a solo home run in the sixth inning, her team-leading 11th of the season, giving the Cajuns a late surge of momentum.
• Dayzja Williams added a triple in the fourth inning and later scored Louisiana’s first run of the game.
• Mia Norwood also chipped in with a base hit and solid defense behind the plate.

In the circle, Sam Ryan got the start and worked four innings, allowing two runs before giving way to Tyra Clary, who pitched the final two innings. Both kept Louisiana within striking distance, but a two-run home run from Texas State’s Megan Kelnar in the fourth proved to be the difference.

The Cajuns briefly tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth after Williams’ triple and Smith’s RBI, but Texas State responded immediately and never relinquished the lead.

With postseason positioning on the line, Louisiana will look to bounce back tomorrow in the series finale. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. CT as the Cajuns aim to win the series and climb higher in the Sun Belt standings.

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