USA vs. Troy box score

TROY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team downed Sun Belt Conference rival Troy - who entered the game ranked No. 28 in the NCAA RPI - 6-3 Wednesday night in a come-from-behind victory at the Troy Softball Complex.

“Our hitters started out a little bit slow,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “We had some opportunities we didn’t capitalize on, but we came back. When you’re getting production from the top and the bottom of your order, and the top and the bottom of your order are having great at-bats, then you’re going to win games. We put up 11 hits tonight against a very good pitcher. I keep saying this over and over again, but it’s the truth, it’s just a great team win. That was a team effort because Troy is a very good ball club.”

After trailing the Trojans for most of the game, the Jaguars scored four runs in the final two innings to take down Troy and improve to 20-9 overall and 8-2 in conference play. With the loss, the Trojans fell to 20-10 on the year and 2-5 in the SBC.

South Alabama outhit Troy 11-5 on the night with seven Jaguars contributing hits including four student-athletes recording multi-hit games. Senior Christin Crocker and freshman Alex Breeden each went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Junior Meghan Collins and freshman Blair Johnson added two hits apiece and juniors Brittany Fowler and Britany Campbell and freshman Alyssa Linn put up a hit each.

Sophomore lefty Hannah Campbell (12-6) picked up her 12th win of the season after tossing her 14th complete game of the year. Freshman Ashley Rainey took the loss after 6.1 innings of work and dropped to 10-5 overall.

“That was a huge team win on the road,” Clark said. “Hannah and Alex did a tremendous job. Troy jumped on us early, but we made some adjustments throughout the game to try to slow them down, and they did a great job of making those adjustments.”

The Trojans took the early lead as Hannah Renn led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to left field before Kelly Luquette reached on a fielder’s choice as USA short stop Brittany Fowler chose to throw Renn out at second. Luquette then stole second and advanced to third when Nikki Hollett flew out to left field. Hayden Gann’s double to right center would push Luquette across, giving the Trojans the 1-0 lead. South Alabama center fielder B. Campbell snagged a fly ball by Michelle Hewett to end the inning.

The Jaguars answered in the top of the third. After Breeden opened the inning with a stand-up double to center field, a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Haley Richards advanced Breeden to third. B. Campbell then hit a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Breeden to score the tying run.

Troy got back on top in the bottom of the inning, plating Renn with a sacrifice fly by Hollett before Gann hit a home run to left giving the Trojans the 3-1 advantage.

With one out in the top of the fourth inning, three consecutive Jaguar hits by Fowler, Collins and Crocker would load the bases. After Rainey struck out sophomore Julie Moss, Breeden added her second hit of the contest plating Fowler, but Richards then popped up to the short stop to end the inning with the Trojans holding on to the 3-2 lead.

Crocker hit a solo shot over the left center fence with one out in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game for the second time at 3-3.

The Jaguars rallied in the top of the seventh scoring three runs off of two hits and one Troy error. Rainey hit Richards to start the inning and give the Jags a base-runner. After a B. Campbell fly out to right, Linn hit a triple to left plating Richards. Johnson followed with a double down the left line scoring Linn and giving USA the 5-3 advantage.

Trailing for the first time in the contest, Troy brought in Sarah Thomas to relieve Rainey. Thomas’s first batter, Fowler, reached on a muffed throw by the first baseman which also allowed Johnson to come home for the Jags’ sixth and final run of the game.      

The Jags return home on March 31 – April 1 for a SBC series against Middle Tennessee. Saturday’s doubleheader will start at 1 p.m. while Sunday’s finale will begin at noon at Jaguar Field.   

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).