LAFAYETTE, La. | South Alabama scored three runs in the top of the fourth and
Sydney Scapin and
Ryley Harrison made it hold as the Jaguars claimed the program's fourth conference championship title as they defeated third-seeded Texas State, 3-2 in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference Championship held at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
2026 Sun Belt Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player: Ryley Harrison, South Alabama
Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama
Kara Wine, South Alabama
Lillie Stagner, South Alabama
Kate Bubela, Texas State
Kat Zarate, Texas State
Harley Vestal, Texas State
Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina
Libby Pippin, Coastal Carolina
Meagan Brown, ULM
Up Next
• South Alabama will now find out its postseason destination on Sunday on the 2026 NCAA DI softball selection show which will air at 6 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2, when the 64-team bracket will be revealed. The Jaguars will make their seventh NCAA tournament appearance and their first since 2024 when they competed at the Gainesville Regional.
Key Moments
• Texas State (38-20) loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first, but
Sydney Scapin was able to get Kate Bubela to fly out to center to end the inning and strand the Bobcat runners
• After Maddy Azua (26-11) had retired the first eight batters of the game,
Brooklynn Bockhaus lined a triple to the gap in left center with two outs, but the Bobcat pitcher was able to escape one batter later on a ground out back to the circle
• Aiyanna Coleman looked as if she had given Texas State the lead in the bottom of the third as she drove a ball to deep center, but while attempting to make the catch above the wall, Jaguar outfielder
Presley Lively kept the ball in play as she leaped at the wall and swatted the ball back with her glove, preventing it from leaving the yard. The play proved to be huge in the inning as Scapin was able to get Kat Zarate to fly out to right one batter later, standing the runner and leaving the game scoreless
• Riding the momentum of getting out of the inning, South Alabama erupted for three, two-out runs the next half inning
• Branstetter laced a one-out double down the third base line in the top of the fourth and with a runner at third,
Gracie Dees battled back to even things before lining a single through the right side of the infield to score pinch runner
Edy Gavin (USA, 1-0)
• One batter later, Stagner blasted her second home run of the tournament, a two-run shot over the wall in left (USA, 3-0)
• Texas State broke through with a run in the bottom half of the fifth as Coleman lined a RBI-single to left, scoring Sydney Harvey from second (USA, 3-1)
• Harrison (18-12) prevented any further damage as she recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Zarate and Harley Vestal to end the inning and maintain the two-run lead
• The Bobcats loaded the bases with two outs after an intentional walk of Keely Williams, but Harrison was able to get Sami Hood swinging to end the inning – her sixth strike out of the game
• Harrison struck out Coleman to begin the seventh before Zarate homered to left – her 12th of the season – on a 1-1 pitch with one out to cut the Jaguar lead to one (USA, 3-2)
• After an infield single by Vestal, Harrison struck out Bubela swinging who had recorded a pair of home runs in the tournament
• The junior righty then got Karymn Bass to ground out to short to seal the win and clinch the title for the Jaguars
Key Stats
• Branstetter finished 2-for-3, while Stagner drove in a pair with a home run
• Dees also drove in a run and scored
• Scapin tossed three innings of two-hit, shutout ball striking out a pair
• Harrison scattered nine base runners – five hits and four balls – while striking out eight
• Coleman also had two hits and drove in a run, while Zarate reached twice with a hit and a walk, while driving in a run and scoring a run
Postgame Notes
• There was a six-hour, 45-minute weather delay prior to the start of the game
• The tournament win was 11 years to the day of South Alabama's last conference championship (May 9, 2015)
• The game marked the sixth appearances in the championship game of the Sun Belt tournament for the Jags
• With the win, South claims its fourth tournament title in program history – 2012, 2013, 2015, 2026
• The Jags are 9-6 at Lamson Park in postseason play
• The meeting marked the fifth in postseason play between Texas State and South Alabama, buy the first in the championship game
• Following the game,
Presley Lively was awarded the Sun Belt Elite Award, which recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the sun belt conference championship while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers
• Bockhaus' third-inning triple was the 16th of the season for South Alabama, setting a new single-season record for the program
• Branstetter has now had a hit in 14 of her last 17, and reached base in 13 of her last 15
• With her fourth-inning double, Branstetter took over sole possession of 10th place in the category as she now has 28 for her career
• The multi-hit game was the 12th of the season for Branstetter and the 29th of her career, moving her into a tie for 20th with former Jags Katie McGuire (2007-10) and Brittani Reid (2018-19)
• After her home run, Stagner has reached base safely in 10 of her last 15
• Wine has had a hit in 15 of her last 19 and has reached base safely in 23 of her last 26, while the freshman has had either a hit, a walk or driven in a run in 33 of her last 40 games
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