HATTIESBURG. Miss. - Beth Pilgrim led the University of South Alabama softball team to a 2-0 win over Louisiana Tech, the Jaguars first shutout of the season, in the first of two games Saturday at the Southern Miss Mizuno Classic. In their second game of the day, Kalin Lasseter brought the Jags back from a six-run deficit  in the fifth inning with a three-run home run as USA tied tournament host Southern Miss, 6-6, after weather forced officials to call the game.

In the 2 p.m. matchup against Louisiana Tech, USA jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Christin Crocker came in on Tara Donaldson’s sacrifice fly to center field. The Jags stretched the lead to 2-0 in the seventh as Corey Race’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Marissa Boyd.

Pilgrim retired the first 13 Lady Techsters she faced through four-plus innings, striking out six of those. She struck out 10 total en route to her first shutout in 2009 and the 11th of her career.

In Saturday’s night game against USM, the Jags fell behind two runs in the first after the Golden Eagles brought in Courtney Hill and Megan Hill on Logan James’ single to second.

The Golden Eagles tacked on to their advantage in the third, as Kristin Pilgrim’s home run over the left-center field wall push the lead to 3-0. With two outs in the fourth, USM’s Leslie LeJune came in on Hill’s double to left center. Hill scored when Casey Jo Matthews followed with a single to center, and Megan Hill’s single to left plated Matthews to extend a 6-0 lead for the Golden Eagles.

USA batted around in the fifth to climb back from a six-run deficit and tie the game. Donaldson brought in Haley Hopkins on a single down the left line to start the rally. Marissa Boyd followed with a single up the left side to bring in Katie McGuire and close the gap at 6-2.

A single to shortstop from Kait Chernomaz brought in Carolina Mendoza. One out later, Lasseter knocked a home run to right center to score Boyd and Chernomaz, tying the game 6-6. It was Lasseter’s first career home run.

“I was much happier with our effort and focus today,” Jag head coach Becky Clark said. “I thought we played together as a team, and it is good to see us swinging the bats. I thought we took a big step forward as a team, now we need to keep it rolling.”

Pilgrim came in during the fifth inning to retire three-consecutive batters before heavy rain forced officials to call the game. Shannon Smith, who started the contest, struck out two batters in four innings of work.

Courtney Ramos finished with two strikeouts in five innings pitched for the Golden Eagles.

The Jags play Sunday at 9 a.m. against Nicholls, followed by an 11:30 game against Alabama State.

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).