LAFAYETTE, La. – May 1, 2025 — On a warm spring evening at Lamson Park, Louisiana freshman pitcher Mallory Wheeler delivered a moment that will live long in Ragin’ Cajuns softball lore. In just her first season, the young right-hander tossed her first career no-hitter, blanking Southern Miss 2-0 in a Sun Belt showdown in front of 1,730 energized fans.

Wheeler was electric from the first pitch, retiring 21 of the 22 batters she faced and allowing just one baserunner via a walk. She struck out two and required only 92 pitches to etch her name into program history, becoming one of the few Louisiana pitchers to accomplish the feat as a freshman.

“I just trusted my stuff and stayed focused pitch by pitch,” Wheeler said after the game. “It means everything to do this in front of our fans at Lamson.”

Louisiana (26-24, 12-10 SBC) backed Wheeler with clutch offense in the bottom of the fifth. Maddie Hayden started the rally with an infield single, and Dayzja Williams followed with a perfectly placed bunt single. A Southern Miss throwing error allowed Hayden to race home, and Emily Smith drove in Williams with a sharp single to left, giving the Cajuns all the runs they would need.

Smith and Savannah White each notched two hits, with White also ripping a triple in the second inning. Louisiana racked up eight hits on the night, continuing their recent trend of timely hitting during the late stretch of conference play.

Southern Miss (23-26, 10-11 SBC) had no answers for Wheeler, who mixed her speeds and locations effectively, inducing a steady stream of weak groundouts and lazy fly balls. Only one Golden Eagle reached base, and none advanced past first.

The victory keeps Louisiana in the thick of the Sun Belt standings as the regular season nears its conclusion. More importantly, it marked a breakout performance for Wheeler — a pitcher whose potential seems to be rising with every outing.

“She’s been growing all year, and tonight was a big step forward,” head coach Alyson Habetz said. “She commanded the zone, stayed composed, and gave us exactly what we needed.”

Wheeler’s no-hitter is not just a personal milestone, but a powerful statement as Louisiana eyes the postseason. With their freshman ace gaining confidence and the bats warming up, the Ragin’ Cajuns could become a dangerous team come tournament time.

Next up, Louisiana will look to ride this momentum into the rest of the series with Southern Miss, and continue solidifying their spot in the Sun Belt standings.