MOBILE, Ala. ? Big hits led the University of South Alabama softball team to a pair of wins over Mississippi Valley State Wednesday. Carolina Mendoza and Christin Crocker recorded their fourth home runs of the season in the second game of the night.

Katy Neal picked up her fourth win of the year in game one of the doubleheader after throwing a complete game and striking out six Delta Devilettes along the way. She allowed one earned run on three hits in her performance.

The Jags (10-12-1) jumped to an early lead in the bottom of the second when Kristen Hayes singled through the left side to plate Kait Chernomaz. One batter later Kalin Lasseter came home on a Kelsey Volz hit. Volz scored three plays later after Mendoza walked. Up 3-0, Tara Donaldson stretched the Jaguar lead with a two-RBI single to right field that brought home Katie McGuire and Crocker.

“We did a good job being consistent all the way through,” said head coach Becky Clark. “Kelsey Volz came up big for us putting the ball in play and making something happen. All the way around we had good pitching and good hitting tonight, which is good to see coming off a break.”

MVSU (18-7) didn’t stay down long, coming back in the top of the third with two runs of its own. Rashundra Brass hit a lead-off homer to left field to put the club’s first run on the board. Ashley Hobbs scored an unearned run on a passed ball with what would be the Delta Devilettes’ final run of the game.

With one out in the third, MVSU brought in Lauren Derting in an attempt to shut down a Jaguar rally. Crocker brought in Haley Hopkins and Corey Race on a single up the middle before the inning was over to extend USA’s lead to 7-2.

In the fourth Lasseter plated Mendoza on a single up the middle. Donaldson followed in the fifth with her third RBI of the game which scored Crocker. The 10th run of the game came as McGuire crossed the plate on Chernomaz’s single through the left side, ending the contest due to the eight-run rule.

McGuire finished the night going 4-for-6, with one double and three runs.

Nikki Stouder took the loss for the Delta Devilettes after allowing four hits and seven runs in 2.1 innings.

MVSU came back in the second game of the doubleheader to score the first run in the third inning. Haleigh Eubanks scored an unearned run on Megan Hays’ single up the middle.

Beth Pilgrim struck out 13 batters while not surrendering an earned run in the performance. The Delta Devilettes didn’t get a runner in scoring position for the remainder of the game.

The Jaguar bats broke open the contest in the fifth with a five-run inning that clinched the win for Pilgrim. Volz tied the game with a double to left that brought home pinch runner Julie Morton. Crocker followed with a two-run home run over the left-center field fence to take a 3-1 lead.

McGuire got her second hit of the game on a double to left field. With the momentum in the USA dugout, Carolina Mendoza stepped up in the next at-bat with a homer to left center to score the final two runs of the 5-2 Jaguar win. Brittany Franklin came in for MVSU starting pitcher Lisa Jansen to get the final out of the inning.

“I loved to see the fight that they gave in the second game. I loved the effort,” Clark said. “We responded down a run by stepping up to the plate and getting the job done. I was extremely happy to see our players step up and do that, especially with the part of the season that we are now in.”

Crocker finished the two-game series going 3-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored, a home run and four RBI.

Jansen came out after 4.2 innings pitched with five strikeouts while allowing seven Jag hits. Franklin finished the game with 1.1 innings of work.

USA continues its homestand Thursday with a doubleheader against Saint Louis starting at 4 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. matchup.  

The doubleheader on Thursday is dedicated to “Strikeout Cancer.” The South Alabama Marketing Department will have a special presentation between games by Ann Cunningham, Director of Development for USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.  

Game-worn pink jerseys will also be auctioned off online on the USA softball page, with all profits going to the USS Hope Endowment. For more information about “Strikeout Cancer” and how you can make a donation click here.

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).