LAFAYETTE, La. (JMU Athletics) – Payton List threw her first-career complete game shutout, as Lily Romero came in clutch with a first-pitch RBI single in the top of the seventh to push James Madison softball past Louisiana by a score of 1-0 in a Friday night Sun Belt showdown at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.

With Raegan Wall on third and one out in a 0-0 ballgame in the seventh inning, Romero drove her in with her second hit of the evening, to give JMU (17-20, 4-9 SBC) a 1-0 lead, and List all she needed to shut down Louisiana (19-21, 5-8 SBC) for her seventh victory of the season.

The redshirt sophomore allowed four hits over seven innings while striking out two and stranding six runners for her third complete game in her last four starts. It was the first complete game shutout for the Dukes since Alissa Humphrey powered past George Mason on Feb. 18, 2024.

Romero’s multi-hit performance was the first of her career as Jasmine Hall, Cali Legzdin, List and Wall also recorded hits in the contest.

Mallory Wheeler kept the Dukes scoreless for 6.1 innings, as she turned in her fifth start of seven innings or more during her freshman campaign. Wheeler stranded seven runners, allowing just the one run on six hits, while walking three and fanning six.

Mia Norwood had a team-leading two hits for Louisiana, as she went 2-for-3 with two singles.

JMU handed the Ragin’ Cajuns their first 1-0 loss of the season, as the Dukes earned its second one-run victory of 2025.

How It Happened

The Dukes and Ragin’ Cajuns exchanged zeros through the first innings, with List and Mallory Wheeler stranding runners left and right, to continue putting scoreless innings on the board.

Seventh Inning
• Wall led off the inning with a walk and her 12th stolen base of the year, while advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Morgan Mesaros
• First pitch swinging, Romero dropped a base hit to right field, ending the 0-0 stalemate to give the Dukes a 1-0 lead

Game Notes
• James Madison earned its first win over Louisiana as members of the Sun Belt Conference and the first since defeating the Ragin’ Cajuns on Feb. 21, 2014, by a score of 3-0 in Clearwater, Fla.
• List extended her on-base streak to nine games, tying her season-best and her hitting streak to eight games, one shy of her season-best
• JMU extended its win streak to six straight games, which is a 2025 season-high
• Wall stole her 12th base of the season, tying her with Legzdin for the team lead and five shy of the freshman stolen base record of 17, set by Jasmine Butler in 2010
• With her hit in Friday’s game, Hall is a hit shy of 150 in her career, the most by an active Duke
• Coach LaPorte sits at 245 wins as head coach, needing five more to encapsulate 250 victories at the helm in Harrisonburg

Up Next
James Madison will continue its three-game set in Lafayette, with the second game slated for a 5 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. CT first pitch.

— JMU Athletics —