No. 12 Louisiana-Lafayette defeated No. 22 South Alabama softball 4-1 in Saturday’s Sun Belt Tournament championship game, ending the Jaguars’ bid for a third consecutive tournament title.
Shelbi Redfearn’s three-run home run in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie and sent the Ragin’ Cajuns to the championship.
Beard Retires 11 Straight
Both teams scored in the first inning. South Alabama pitcher Farish Beard then settled in and retired 11 consecutive Louisiana-Lafayette batters.
The Ragin’ Cajuns broke through in the sixth. Back-to-back singles put two runners on base, and Redfearn drove a pitch from Beard over the left-field wall for a three-run homer and a 4-1 lead.
Path to the Final
South Alabama reached the title game by beating Louisiana-Lafayette 4-2 in eight innings the previous day, a win decided by a two-run home run from Blair Johnson. That victory improved the Jaguars to 40-11.
Louisiana-Lafayette rebounded by defeating Louisiana-Monroe to earn a rematch with South Alabama in the winner-take-all championship game.
All-Tournament Team
Three Jaguars were named to the 2014 Sun Belt Softball All-Tournament Team: senior Hannah Campbell, sophomore Emily Messer and freshman Amanda Minahan.
Louisiana-Lafayette placed four players on the team: Christina Hamilton, Redfearn, Samantha Walsh and Lexie Elkins, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Louisiana-Monroe’s Samantha Hamby and Miyuki Navarrette and Western Kentucky’s Olivia Watkins completed the squad.
- South Alabama: Hannah Campbell, Emily Messer, Amanda Minahan
- Louisiana-Lafayette: Lexie Elkins (Most Outstanding Player), Christina Hamilton, Shelbi Redfearn, Samantha Walsh
- Louisiana-Monroe: Samantha Hamby, Miyuki Navarrette
- Western Kentucky: Olivia Watkins
