MIAMI ? The University of South Alabama softball team captured the series finale Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 victory over Florida International at University Park.
South Alabama improves to 31-18 on the season and 9-8 in the Sun Belt, while the Golden Panthers drop to 19-29 overall and 7-10 in the league. With the win and the Louisiana-Monroe loss to Florida Atlantic on Sunday, the Jags clinch a spot in this year’s Sun Belt Tournament. USA will now return home to take on Nicholls State in a mid-week non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday. First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Florida International was able to get on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the first. Desiree Fink singled back up the middle with one out and then moved into scoring position via a stolen base and wild pitch. The FIU second baseman then came into score three batters later on a Kim Rodriguez single to left. The Golden Panthers could have added to their lead when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Jag starter Beth Pilgrim induced a ground ball out to end the inning.
USA answered right back in the next half inning and tied the contest up at 1-1. Freshman outfielder Katie McGuire led off the inning with a solo shot to left center, her fifth home run of the season. The home run was also her first in a Sun Belt game.
South Alabama broke the tie in the third when the Jags plated three more runs of FIU reliever Penny Eastman. Evelyne Pare and Kait Chernomaz started things off with back-to-back singles and then were sacrificed around by Jag first baseman Corey Race. Tara Donaldson then came to the plate and lined a singled to left to bring in both runners. On the play, Rodriguez, the FIU leftfielder, committed two errors, allowing Chernomaz to score and Donaldson to advance all the way to third. McGuire drove in her second run of the day two batters later, when she singles to right to put USA up 4-1.
In the bottom of the third, Florida International trimmed the Jag advantage to 4-2 with a run. Senior catcher Tabitha Embry led the inning off with a walk and then came around to score on three batters later when she beat the throw at the plate on Ashley Faulk’s fielder’s choice. FIU loaded the bases with two outs, but Pilgrim was again able to get the ground ball out she needed to end the threat.
Deomni Murray recorded a one-out infield single in the sixth and then came in to score on Embry’s two-out RBI double to left center to pull FIU within one but that was as close as the Golden Panthers got.
Pilgrim picked up the win for USA and improved her record to 9-5, while Eastman (12-12) took the loss in relief. Pare, Donaldson and McGuire each recorded two hits on the day to lead the Jag offense.
