LAFAYETTE, La. – University of South Alabama softball senior second baseman became the fourth Jaguar to eclipse the 200-hit mark for her career, but a late-inning rally attempt came up short as No. 21/20 Louisiana closed out the series with a 3-2 win Sunday in the Sun Belt Conference series finale at Lamson Park.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (18-17, 5-6 SBC) will return home to host Southern Mississippi.  First pitch versus the Golden Eagles is set for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Jaguar Field.  

Date: 3/31
Place: Lamson Park (Lafayette, La.)
Final Score: No.21/20 Louisiana 3, South Alabama 2
Records: Louisiana (23-7, 10-2 SBC), South Alabama (18-17, 5-6 SBC)

SCORING PLAYS
-1 Inn. — LA, 1-0 —Beth Ashley triple to right (RBI), scoring Brittany Rodriguez from second
-2 Inn. — LA, 2-0 —Kara Gremillion double to left center (RBI), scoring Kelli Martinez from second
-3 Inn. — LA, 3-0 —Casidy Chaumont double to left center (RBI), scoring Kortney Gremillion from second
-6 Inn. — USA, 3-1 —Brittani Reid bases-loaded walk (RBI), scoring MC Nichols from third
-6 Inn. — USA, 3-2 —Kristian Foster sacrifice fly to left center (RBI), scoring Kaleigh Todd from third

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
-After South Alabama had scored a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth with a pair of runners on and two outs in the inning, Summer Ellyson struck out Kamdyn Kvistad to end the inning.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
-Todd recorded a hit and scored a run for South Alabama, while Kvistad (double) and Nichols (single) also had a hit in the contest.  Nichols also scored the other run for South, while Foster drove in her team-leading 19th run of the season.
-Devin Brown pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Jags, allowing just three hits and striking out one.
-Louisiana was led at the plate by Kara Gremillion and Rodriguez who were each 2-for-4, with the latter driving in a run and the former scoring a run.  Kortney Gremillion and Ashley also had a hit and a RBI
-Ellyson (12-4) picked up her third win of the series for the Ragin' Cajuns as she went 6.2 innings in the circle allowing just one hit, two walks and striking out six.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-The Ragin' Cajuns were 6-for-17 (.353) with runners on and 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but left 11 runners on base, compared to four by the Jaguars.
-Louisiana all three of its runs with a single run in each of the first three innings.
-Ellyson retired the first 13 Jaguar batters that she faced and recorded at least one strikeout each of the first four innings of work.  Ellyson also recorded 11 ground-ball outs and allowed just three fly outs.
-South Alabama did not have its leadoff batter reach base in any inning.

GAME FACTS
-Rodriguez reached on a bunt single to start the Cajun half of the first and then moved into scoring position on a deep fly out to left center.  After another fly out, A. Reid looked as if she might get out of the inning unscathed as Ashley lined a ball to right.  B. Reid attempted to make a diving catch along the right field line, but the ball popped out of her glove as she made contact with the ground, allowing Rodriguez to score (1-0) and Ashley to advance all the way around to third for a triple.  Louisiana threatened to do more damage in the frame with back-to-back walks, but A. Reid was able to get Kortney Gremillion to pop out to short to end the frame.
-The Cajuns doubled their lead to 2-0 in the second on Kara Gremillion's double to left center, scoring Martinez from second.  South Alabama's Lowe appeared to have made the play, but the ball popped out of her glove when she collided with the outfield wall.  UL could've added more runs, but a couple of nice defensive plays by the Jaguars at the plate prevented any further damage.  B. Reid threw out Kynadi Tipler trying to score on Rodriguez's single and South recorded another out at the plate a fielder's choice.
-Louisiana tacked on another run in the bottom half of the third.  Chaumont doubled to the gap in left center – the third extra-base hit for the Cajuns in as many innings – and Kortney Gremillion lined a one-out single back up the middle to plate the third run of the game.
-South Alabama finally got its first hit of the contest in the top of the fifth as Kvistad lined a one-out single that rolled all the way to the wall in left center.  Cabral then walked to put runners at first and second, but Ellyson was able to get an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam.
-An inning later, the Jaguars broke through with a pair of runs to cut the deficit to one.  Nichols and Todd reached on back-to-back, one-out singles off Louisiana reliever Casey Dixon and Lowe walked to load the bases. Ellyson re-entered the circle at that point and after getting down 0-2 in the count, B. Reid drew a bases-loaded walk during an eight-pitch at-bat to bring in Nichols and make it 3-1.  Foster then delivered a sacrifice fly to left center to bring in Todd from third (3-2).  Ellyson would pick up her sixth strikeout of the contest to end the inning though one batter later.
-The Cajuns threatened to add some insurance runs in the sixth loading the bases on a single, a Jag error and an intentional walk with two outs, but Brown was got Lexie Comeaux to line out back to her in the circle to end the inning and keep the deficit at one.
-The Jaguars placed the tying run on with one out in the seventh, but Ellyson was able get a fielder's choice and a pop out to third to end the contest.

NOTES
-With her start at second, Todd passed Christin Crocker (2009-12) for fifth in consecutive career starts at South Alabama as she made her 145th consecutive start.  It was also the 192nd start of her career moving her ahead of Amanda Minahan (2014-17) for 10th all-time in the category.
-With her base hit in the sixth inning, Todd extended her hit streak to nine games and her reached-base-safely streak to 11.  
-The infield single was also the 200 career hit for Todd, making her just the fourth Jaguar to ever reach that mark.  The only other South Alabama players to do so during their career were Brittany Fowler (213), Emily Messer (208) and Blair Johnson (203).
-B. Reid's outfield assist at home in the second inning was the second of the season by a Jag outfielder, and with her bases-loaded walk, the Kansas City, Mo., native extended reached-base-safely streak to a career-best nine games.
-The sacrifice fly for Foster was the 11th of her career, moving her one away from tying Kaitlyn Griffith for the all-time mark in the category.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "It was another tough loss for us today.  We're going to go home and re-group.  We have a midweek game against Southern Miss on Tuesday and then another tough Sun Belt series next weekend at Texas State."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_Jags. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub

—USA—