Box Score - Louisiana-Monroe 11, South Alabama 3
MONROE, La. – The University of South Alabama softball team saw it's 15-game win streak come to an end Sunday afternoon as the Jaguars dropped an 11-3 decision to Louisiana-Monroe Sunday afternoon at the ULM Softball Complex. The game was called after five-innings due to the eight-run rule being in effect.
“We dug ourselves a whole early,” South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said. “I am proud of the way that the kids fought to stay in the game, but we didn't get the big hits and the pitches that we needed to win. We weren’t able to execute today the things that we have been doing that have brought us success, and that was the difference in the game.”
The Warhawks (12-12, 1-2 SBC) posted a pair of four-run innings to start the game and jump out to the early lead. With the loss, South Alabama drops to 21-4 on the year and 2-1 in league play.
Jag starter Lindsey Croft (7-1) lasted just a third of an inning after surrendering four runs on four hits, while also walking three. The loss for the junior right-hander was the first of her career at USA.
ULM's Brianna Love began the bottom half of the first with a walk and then stole second. After another walk to Jessica Olguin, Warhawk catcher Roxane Cassel lifted a three-run home run to left to give ULM the early lead. Louisiana-Monroe added another run two batters later when Melissa Rivera singled through the left side of the infield to plate Janel Salanoa - who had singled and stole second.
The Warhawks recorded another four-run inning in the second. Love - who had been hitless the previous two games of the series - led off the inning with a triple to right center. Olguin and Cassel followed Love and each reached on a pair of fielder's choices. Love though was thrown out at home trying to score on Cassel's fielder's choice. Salanoa then reached on an infield single to load the bases. USA's Hanna Campbell - who had come in relief the previous inning for Croft - was able to get the ground ball that she needed on the next batter, but the throw home was muffed, allowing Olguin to score. With two outs in the inning, Regina Ayala lined a single to left to plate Rivera and after an errant throw by Jag left fielder Brittany Fowler, Salanoa and pinch runner Elena Dimattia also came around to score on the play and extend the ULM lead to 8-0.
South Alabama was finally able to get on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the third. Meghan Collins and Kamee Vessey began the inning with back-to-back singles and with two outs, Fowler was able to earn a walk. Ball four got away from Cassel, which allowed Collins to score from third.
USA added two more runs an inning later and trimmed the deficit to 8-3. The Jaguars loaded the bases with one out and took advantage of the scoring opportunity. Vessey reached on a fielder's choice off Warhawk reliever Heather Fritz (2-1), bringing in Julie Moss - who had singled earlier in the inning. One batter later, South Alabama short stop Jenny Stevens worked a walk to score pinch-runner Brittany Wynne.
Louisiana-Monroe didn't allow the Jags to hold the momentum long though as it answered back with a run in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Rivera singled to center and then came around to score on Katie Girardi's RBI double, pushing the Warhawk advantage back out to 9-3.
ULM put the game away in the fifth. Miyuki Navarrete was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom half of the inning. Love then stepped to the plate and recorded a walk-off home run to end the game and give ULM the eight-run victory.
Louisiana-Monroe was led at the plate by Love, Salanoa, Rivera and Ayala, who each had two hits. Love was one of four players to record two runs and also had a pair of RBIs for ULM.
South Alabama had five hits in the loss. Haley Hopkins, Katie Neal, Moss, Vessey and Collins each had one hit apiece.
The Jaguars return to action Wednesday when they travel to take on Florida State at 6 p.m.
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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