ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. ? After the Jags’ games were washed out on Saturday, the University of South Alabama softball team split a pair of games on Sunday. USA opened the morning’s games with a 7-2 victory over Stetson and ended the tournament with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Central Florida. South Alabama stands at 9-7 on the season while Stetson fell to 7-3 with the loss and Central Florida improved to 16-9 with its win. The Jags finished the Altamonte Springs Tournament with a 2-2 record.
In the morning opener, the Jaguars got on the board first with one out in the third inning when designated player Tara Donaldson hit a three-run home run off pitcher Heather Colding. Stetson brought in a new pitcher in Erica Demers, who gave up a two-out, solo home run to freshman Jenny Stevens, before striking out the next batter to end the inning. USA added one more in the top of the fifth to take a 5-0 lead.
Senior Linden Jones had a shutout and no-hitter going into the fifth inning, but with no outs and two runners on, first baseman Andrea Migliori hit a shot to centerfield to load the bases. Second baseman Lindsay Wightman hit a sacrifice fly to score Sherrel Fountain and wipe away the shutout. Jones struck out the next two batters to end the inning with a 5-1 lead.
USA added one more in the sixth, with leftfielder Evelyne Pare reaching on an error by the Hatter second baseman and scoring on three wild pitches by Stetson’s third pitcher of the game, Nicole Peltz. Stetson didn’t give up, adding one of their own by catcher Blythe Golden to cut their deficit to 6-2.
In the top of the seventh, the Jags tagged one more run to their lead with freshman Katie McGuire scoring on a base hit by Stevens. The Hatters were unable to get any more runs across, giving South Alabama a 7-2 victory.
Jones (5-3) picked up the win striking out nine batters and walking four. She only gave up two hits and one run in 6.2 innings of work. Heather Colding (2-3) received the loss for the Hatters, giving up three runs on four hits, while striking out one and walking two in 2.1 innings pitched.
In game two for the Jaguars, Central Florida jumped out to an early lead, hitting a lead-off home run to start the game and adding a two-run home run in the fourth, taking a 3-0 lead.
The Jaguars answered back in the bottom of the inning with a two-RBI single from catcher Kristen Hayes to plate McGuire and Stevens, cutting the deficit to 3-2, but UCF’s two home runs were enough to put away the Jags.
Junior Amanda Leggett (0-2) took the loss, giving up three runs on five hits. She struck out three batters, while only walking one in 7.0 innings pitched. Lexi Gresham (2-0) picked up the win, giving up two runs on seven hits, while striking out two.
The Jaguars will travel to Birmingham, Ala. next weekend to participate in the BSC Panther Spring Classic March 9-11.
