Troy University Athletics

No. 9 Troy Falls to No. 8 Louisiana in First Round of Sun Belt Tournament
5/6/2026 9:56:00 PM | Softball
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Troy softball team fell 5-0 to host team Louisiana in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The No. 9 Trojans (32-22, 10-14 SBC) couldn't overcome a three-run first inning from the No. 8 Ragin' Cajuns (29-26, 11-13 SBC).
Mia Tidmore earned one of Troy's two hits in the game, roping a single to left field in the second inning. In the seventh inning, Makaley Boswell punched a single up the middle. Louisiana pitcher Sage Hoover shut down the Troy offense on the night, striking out nine.
Abby Lovell started in the circle, striking out three across two innings of work. Ella Cunningham entered in relief, allowing two runs and three hits in four innings from the circle.
Louisiana struck first in the bottom of the first, scoring three after a leadoff walk, a double and two singles. While Mia Tidmore got a single in the second inning, the Trojans couldn't cut into the deficit.
Lovell settled in during the bottom of the second inning, striking out two to hang a zero. However, a leadoff double from the Ragin' Cajuns in the third knocked Lovell out of the game, and Cunningham entered the circle. Cunningham got three straight outs, including a strikeout, to end the frame.
Louisiana made it 4-0 in the fourth inning after a leadoff walk came around to score on a wild pitch, and scored another run off a fielder's choice in the fifth.
Boswell hit a leadoff single in the seventh inning, but the Trojans weren't able to get on the board.
Troy ends the season with 30 wins for the fourth time in four seasons under head coach Eric Newell. The Trojans will head into the offseason with a young core, as seniors Megan Loftis and Esmee Ames graduate.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"Congrats to Louisiana, Sage pitched really well tonight. It was like a train derailing, we knew it was coming but we couldn't do anything about it. Hats off to them – scoring in the first inning really set the tone, and we weren't sharp early. My heart hurts for our kids but congrats to a great ballclub and tremendous host in Louisiana."
Notables
Mia Tidmore earned one of Troy's two hits in the game, roping a single to left field in the second inning. In the seventh inning, Makaley Boswell punched a single up the middle. Louisiana pitcher Sage Hoover shut down the Troy offense on the night, striking out nine.
Abby Lovell started in the circle, striking out three across two innings of work. Ella Cunningham entered in relief, allowing two runs and three hits in four innings from the circle.
Louisiana struck first in the bottom of the first, scoring three after a leadoff walk, a double and two singles. While Mia Tidmore got a single in the second inning, the Trojans couldn't cut into the deficit.
Lovell settled in during the bottom of the second inning, striking out two to hang a zero. However, a leadoff double from the Ragin' Cajuns in the third knocked Lovell out of the game, and Cunningham entered the circle. Cunningham got three straight outs, including a strikeout, to end the frame.
Louisiana made it 4-0 in the fourth inning after a leadoff walk came around to score on a wild pitch, and scored another run off a fielder's choice in the fifth.
Boswell hit a leadoff single in the seventh inning, but the Trojans weren't able to get on the board.
Troy ends the season with 30 wins for the fourth time in four seasons under head coach Eric Newell. The Trojans will head into the offseason with a young core, as seniors Megan Loftis and Esmee Ames graduate.
Quotable: Head Coach Eric Newell
"Congrats to Louisiana, Sage pitched really well tonight. It was like a train derailing, we knew it was coming but we couldn't do anything about it. Hats off to them – scoring in the first inning really set the tone, and we weren't sharp early. My heart hurts for our kids but congrats to a great ballclub and tremendous host in Louisiana."
Notables
- The Trojans are 1-4 in Sun Belt Conference Tournament games under head coach Eric Newell
- Troy is 11-55 against Louisiana all-time, and 1-3 taking on the Ragin' Cajuns this season
- Troy was shut out in a Sun Belt Tournament game for the first time since May 11, 2023, against Texas State at Lamson Park
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sage Hoover (11-12)
L: Lovell, Abby (8-6)

Batting:
2B: Brooke Otto 1 ; Cecilia Vasquez 1
RBI: Haley Hart 1 ; Cecilia Vasquez 1 ; Mia Norwood 1
SH: Haley Hart 1 ; Erin Ardoin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kennedy Marceaux 1 ; Mia Liscano 1 ; McKayla Ferguson 1 ; Cecilia Vasquez 1 ; Miki Watts 1
SB: Brooke Otto 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (Louisiana SBC Tournament)
Wednesday, May 06
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (Coastal Carolina Games Two and Three)
Friday, May 01
Troy at Coastal Carolina Game One Highlights
Thursday, April 30
Eric Newell Postgame Press Conference (Coastal Carolina Game One)
Thursday, April 30
























