Troy 2, USA 1

USA 4, Troy 3

TROY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team split its doubleheader with in-state rival Troy Saturday afternoon at the Trojan Softball Complex. The Jags fell 2-1 in game one and rallied back to win 4-3 in the series finale.

"In the first game, we had opportunities, but we didnt get the timely hits that we normally get and that was the difference in the game," USA head coach Becky Clark said. " Game two was a great team win. I thought we really battled and I was proud of the way that we fought to come back and win."

With the split, the Jags clinched the third seed in the SBC tournament and improved to 35-15 overall and 14-10 in league in action.

Left-hander Hannah Campbell (16-6) was credited with the loss for the Jaguars in the opener after going the distance for the 19th time this season. She scattered six hits and walked two, while striking out two Trojan batters.

Ashlyn Williams (17-13) earned the win after pitching her 22nd complete game for the Trojans. In the victory, she struck out 11 batters and walked only three, while allowing just the one run.

Sophomore outfielder Brittany Fowler paced the Jags at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, including her eighth home run of the season.  Her two hits were the only ones recorded by South Alabama in game one.

Third baseman Kelly Luquette led Troy offensively with two hits, while Michelle Hewett recorded one RBI.

The Jags jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first on Fowlers two-out home run.  The USA first baseman launched the first pitch she saw from Williams over the left centerfield wall.

Troy threatened to score in the bottom of the third. After retiring the side for two consecutive innings, H. Campbell relinquished her first hit of the game when Kortney Cooper singled off the pitchers glove. Cooper then advanced to second on Kacie McAllister’s sac bunt. With two outs, Luquette singled up the middle and then stole second to put runners in scoring position. H. Campbell battled back though and struck out the final Trojan batter to get out of the inning unscathed.   

The Trojans rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth scoring two runs on two hits. Smart led off the inning when she drew the first walk of the game for Troy. Two batters later, McAllister singled through the right side to advance Adkins, who pinch ran for Smart, to third. Luquette followed with a single to short to load the bases. Troy then pushed one run across when Adkins score on a wild pitch. The Trojans tacked on the second run of the inning when Michelle Hewett hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to bring McAllister home and give the Trojans a 2-1 lead.

The Jags had an opportunity to score in the top of the sixth. Haley Richards reached on a fielder’s choice and Jenny Stevens, who walked to begin the inning, was charged with runner interference for the first out of the inning. Fowler then singled to third and Richards advanced all the way to third on a throwing error by Troy third baseman Luquette. Haley Hopkins was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Williams struck out the next two Jaguar batters to get out of the jam.

Williams struck out all three Jaguar batters in the seventh to earn the 2-1 victory.

In game two of the doubleheader, the Jaguars took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Stevens led off with a single through the right side of the infield and then stole second.  She then advanced to third on Richards sac bunt and came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Fowler.

The Trojans rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the second. Cooper doubled to deep left field to plate Smart, who walked to begin the inning. McAllister then singled to left driving in Smart to give Troy a 2-1 advantage.

The Jags answered right back in the top of the third scoring two runs on two hits. With two outs, Hopkins lined a single over the pitchers head. The next batter, Crocker blasted her team-leading 10th homer of the season over the left centerfield wall to put USA back out in front, 3-2.

TU evened the score in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, the Trojans drew three consecutive walks to load the bases. Sophomore pitcher Morgan Druhan (10-6) came in for relief with the bases loaded and the first batter she faced, McAllister, lined a sacrifice fly to left to plate Shields and tie the score 3-3.  Druhan then retired the final Trojan batter to get out of the jam.

The Jags took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Hopkins doubled down the right field line to score Richards who had laid down a bunt-single to reach earlier in the inning.

Druhan was credited with the win after pitching 3.2 innings of hitless relief. She allowed only one walk, while striking out two Trojan batters.

Haley Hutchins (5-5) took the loss after going the distance striking out four batters and allowing seven hits.

Offensively, the Jaguars were led by Hopkins who went 2-for-3 at the plate scoring one and driving in one. Stevens, Richards, Crocker, Neal and Collins all recorded one hit apiece for the Jaguars.

Troy’s Hewett led the offense with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate, while McAllister recorded two RBI.

USA will return to action Wednesday in the Sun Belt Conference tournament in Lafayette, La. Game time and opponent is yet to be determined with games pending on Sunday.

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 7-8 all-time against the Trojans ... With the loss, the Jags dropped their second Sun Belt conference series of the season … USA clinched the highest seed in the program’s history (3)… Fowler is now ranked second on the team with eight home runs ... Crocker recorded her program-high 20th home runs of the season.