JAGUARS TAKE TWO FROM MIDDLE TENNESSEE

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. ? The University of South Alabama softball team won its first road conference games of the year Saturday as Beth Pilgrim shutout Middle Tennessee 10-0 and Katy Neal recorded her first combined shutout in a 9-0 Jaguar win at Blue Raider Field.

In the first game, USA (15-15-1, 2-3 SBC) batted around in the first inning and jumped to a 3-0 lead when Tara Donaldson’s single down the right-field line scored Christin Crocker. With bases loaded and no outs, Marissa Boyd was walked to push around Katie McGuire for an unearned run. The third run of the inning came when Kristen Hayes was hit by a pitch to plate Donaldson.

The Blue Raiders (5-17, 0-5 SBC) brought in Kellie Head for Lindsey Vander Lugt in the top of the second to try and contain the Jags. Head would finish the game with one strikeout in 2.2 innings pitched.

The Jags stretched the lead in the third after Kelsey Volz hit a single to right field that scored Kalin Lasseter unearned.

“We took the momentum early today and kept it all day long,” said head coach Becky Clark. “It was good to get another solid performance in the circle coupled with good at bats. It’s important to show up strong in conference play, and we did that today.”

USA came back in the fourth with Lasseter’s single to third that, following a Blue Raider error, allowed Kelsy Donaldson to score. Pinch hitter Corey Race hit an RBI-single to center field to bring home Kait Chernomaz unearned to put the Jags up 6-0.

MTSU brought starting pitcher Vander Lugt back in the game to get the final out. Crocker made the score 10-0 with her first career grand-slam that brought home Volz, Carolina Mendoza, and Lasseter.

Crocker’s grand-slam was the Jags' second this season; the first one came from Lasseter on Thursday against Jacksonville State. She went 2-for-4 in the game with two runs and four RBI.

Pilgrim (9-7) threw a one-hit shutout to get the win, striking out seven Blue Raiders along the way. The game marked her third shutout this season. Vander Lugt (4-9) took the loss for MTSU, with five strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.

In the second game, the Jags posted one run in the first with Donaldson’s single up the middle that brought home Crocker.

USA brought in Pilgrim to get the final out in the bottom of the sixth. Katy Neal (6-2) picked up the win, striking out six in 5.2 innings in the circle, while Pilgrim recorded her second save with 1.1 innings of work. Caty Jutson (1-6) took the loss for MTSU, collecting three strikeouts.

“Beth was tough today, keeping them off the bases and off the scoreboard,” said Clark. “Then Katy, a freshman, did a great job following it up with her first combined shutout of her career. We got great performances from each of them on the road in conference play today.”

Crocker came back in the top of the seventh with a double down the left-field line that plated Volz. Up 2-0, McGuire stretched the lead with a two-RBI double that scored Race and Crocker. McGuire would score unearned during Chernomaz’s at bat to put USA ahead 5-0.

Lasseter singled to center field to bring home Chernomaz and Donaldson. Race closed out the scoring with her two-run single to center field that plated Lasseter and Boyd unearned.

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).

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