USA -FIU box
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LAFAYETTE, La. – The No. 3 seeded University of South Alabama softball team defeated No. 4 seeded Florida International 4-2 Friday afternoon in the third round and stay alive in the Sun Belt Conference tournament held at Lamsom Park on the campus of the University of Louisiana Lafayette.
With the win, the Jaguars improve to 37-16 overall on the year, while FIU drops to 31-27. USA is scheduled to return to action at 5:30 p.m. against top-seeded and tournament-host Louisiana Lafayette.
Haley Richards, Brittany Fowler, Christin Crocker and Brittany Campbell all recorded hits for the Jaguars. Fowler recorded two RBI, while Crocker recorded her team-leading 11th home run of the season.
Hannah Campbell (18-7) went the distance for the 21st time this year scattering nine hits and allowing just two runs. In the victory, she walked only one FIU batter and struck out three.
Ashley McClain (8-5) took the loss for the Golden Panthers in 2.1 inning of work giving up four hits and allowing four runs.
Kayla Burri and Brie Rojas both recorded two hits apiece for FIU, while Jenny Welch and Jessy Alfonso recorded one RBI each.
Crocker put the Jags on the board in the bottom of the second when she cranked a one-out homer into the left field bleachers on the first pitch she saw from McClain.
After sitting down the first eight FIU batters, with two outs H. Campbell relinquished her first hit of the game in the top of the third when Rachel Slowik reached on an infield single to second. H. Campbell battled back to force the final out of the inning when Jessey Alfonso popped up to end the inning.
Sophomore first baseman Meghan Collins led off the bottom half of the third when she drew a walk. The next batter, outfielder B. Campbell, singled up the middle to advance Collins and put runners on first and second and Richards dropped a single into shallow left center to load the bases. Fowler then stepped up to the plate and lined a two-run single through the left side to plate Collins and B. Campbell and record her team-leading 52nd RBI of the season. Haley Hopkins then drew a walk to reload the bases and Richards came into score USA’s third run of the inning when she advanced home on an illegal pitch from relief pitcher Jenn Gniadek, extending the Jaguar lead to 4-0.
The Golden Panthers threatened to score in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Burri singled to deep center field and then stole second. Rojas then chopped a single over H. Campbell’s head to advance Burri and put runners on the corners, but the Jag freshman left-hander then forced Alex Casals to line out to short to get the final out of the inning and get out of the jam.
FIU freshman designated player Kennah Orr led off the top of the fifth when she dropped an infield single just outside the pitchers circle and Welch lined a hard-hit single through right center to advance Jenny Alfonso – who pinch ran for Orr – to second. With one out, Slowik laid down a sac bunt to advance both runners to scoring position and Jessy Alfonso lifted a sac fly to deep left to plate Jenny Alfonso and cut the Jaguar lead to 4-1.
In the top of the sixth the Golden Panthers tacked on one run and threatened to add more. With one out, Burri and Rojas recorded back-to-back singles. Casals then lined a single up the middle to load the bases. Welch drew a walk to bring in Burri, but that would be the last run surrendered by H. Campbell as she forced Slowik to ground out to third base and end the inning.
Again in the seventh, FIU threatened to tie the contest up with two outs and a runner on first, but H. Campbell struck out Burri to claim the 4-2 victory over the Golden Panthers and advance the Jaguars.
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).
NOTES: USA is now 10-6 all-time against FIU … The Jags have now recorded the most wins in a Sun Belt Conference Tournament in the program’s history (2)…The 37 wins for a season also eclipse the previous program high.
—USA—
