MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama softball team will continue its road swing at the Jacksonville State Gamecock Classic this weekend, beginning Feb. 17 against Belmont University at 10 a.m., followed by host Jacksonville State at 2 p.m.  The Jaguars will play again on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

USA enters the contest with a 0-1 record after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Southern Miss Wednesday night in the first game in the program’s history.

Evelyne Pare, Kait Chernomaz, Kristen Hayes and Corey Race each had a hit for the Jags in Wednesday night’s game.  Race helped lead the defense with four putouts.

Senior Linden Jones (0-1) pitched six innings, striking out 11 of 24 batters faced and only giving up two hits.

Belmont University is coming off a 15-32-1 season in 2006.  The Bruins return eight starters and 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad.

Amy Tudor is in her first year as head coach of the Bruins.  She comes to Belmont after a two year stint at Ohio Wesleyan, where she guided the Battling Bishops to their second straight North Coast Athletic Conference title in 2005, with a 22-14 record.

Last season, junior Meghan Pipkin and senior Kelly Major helped lead the Bruins offensively, with Pipkin hitting .297 with 21 runs scored and six RBIs.  Major scored 17 runs, with nine doubles, one home run and 12 RBIs in 2006.

Senior Jennifer Batte and sophomores Sammi Parks and Kori Bowser return to pitch for Belmont.  Parks ended the 2006 season with a 4.14 ERA, pitching 94.2 innings with 80 strikeouts.  With an ERA of 4.30, Batte struck out 64 batters in 81.1 innings pitched.  Bowser pitched 44.2 innings, striking out 16.

JSU enters the weekend with a 2-0 record after a sweep of Alabama State Sunday afternoon. 

Head coach Jana McGinnis has accumulated an overall record of 353-215 in her 11 season at the helm of the Gamecocks.  She has led Jacksonville State to eight consecutive trips to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament

Redshirt freshman Ciara Wesen led Jacksonville State, going 4-for-4 in the series against ASU, scoring one run with four RBIs.  Wesen was followed by junior Rachel Fleming, who went 5-for-6 scoring three runs.  Five Gamecocks hit at, or above .500 in the two-game series.

Pitchers Melissa Dowling and Karla Pittman combined for seven strike outs, only giving up four hits in two games.  In two innings, junior Kelly Daw struck out three, giving up only one hit and the long run of the day.

Following the tournament in Jacksonville, South Alabama will travel to Hammond, La. on Tuesday for a double header against Southeastern Louisiana beginning at 3 p.m.