GAINESVILLE, Fla. ? Led by Kait Chernomaz, the University of South Alabama softball team hit four home runs Friday as the Jaguars split a pair of games on the opening day of the Florida Lipton Invitational. The senior doubled her career total when she recorded one in each matchup against Coastal Carolina and Georgia Tech.
In the first game, USA jumped to an early lead in the first inning after Christin Crocker was brought in by Kelsey Volz’s single to second, who later scored on a passed ball. With one out and the bases loaded the Jags moved the runners around when Danielle Honore was hit by a pitch to bring in Tara Donaldson and Carolina Mendoza followed with a single to right field to score Marissa Boyd. Up 4-0 one out later, Honore scored on a passed ball for the final run of the inning.
“It was a much better day today, we took a step forward,” head coach Becky Clark said. “I thought our mental game was a lot better today. We did a much better job relaxing and playing the game.”
Chernomaz led off the third inning with USA’s first homerun of the season, drilling the ball over the right-center field wall. Mendoza followed with a double to left center to force the Chanticleers to bring in Ivy McCraine in the circle after Katelin Edwards gave up six runs.
Despite the pitching change, South Alabama loaded the bases with one out after Katie McGuire walked and Crocker was hit by a pitch. Volz lined out to the shortstop before Donaldson recorded a double to center field to clear the bases.
Leading 9-0 and with two outs, the Jaguars added to their advantage with Kalin Lasseter’s double to left center that scored Donaldson. Lasseter scored on Boyd’s single to right field to conclude a six-run inning.
Beth Pilgrim faced the minimum number of batters until the fourth inning when Michelle Evans singled to right, bringing in Kelsey Riffel with the Chanticleers only run of the game.
USA had its second lead-off home run during the fourth, when Mendoza put the ball out of the park over the left field wall for the final run. Pilgrim moved to 2-2 after the 12-1, five-inning run rule victory.
In the second game, South Alabama fell behind in the second inning when Georgia Tech posted four runs. Shannon Bear and Kelsi Weseman scored two unearned runs off Tiffany Johnson’s double to left center. Christy Jones brought in Kristen Adkins on a single to second, and Johnson later scored after Whitney Haller singled to first to finish the scoring in the inning.
McGuire came back in the third for a lead-off home run over the left-center field fence, notching the Jags’ first run. With two outs in the fourth, Chernomaz answered with her second home run of the day to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
“It wasn’t just Kait today, it was everybody,” Clark said. “They all stopped holding back and worrying about trying to make too much happen.”
The Yellow Jackets scored in the fifth after bases were loaded and Kate Kuzma walked to bring Haller across the plate. Pilgrim came in to finish the game for Meghan Harbuck, getting the final out as Tech closed the inning with a 5-2 advantage.
“Tomorrow is a big day for us, we need to come out with the same approach that we did today,” Clark said. “We need to continue what we are doing and take it one pitch at a time.”
Up next for South Alabama is a 1:45 p.m. matchup Saturday against No. 2 Florida, followed by a 4 p.m. game against Coastal Carolina.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
