USA vs. MTSU game 1 box score

USA vs. MTSU game 2 box score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team defeated Sun Belt Conference foe Middle Tennessee by one run in each game of the series-opening doubleheader Saturday at Jaguar Field to clinch their fourth consecutive SBC series.

“Middle Tennessee is a very good team so we knew we were going to have our hands full when we played them,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “They have a very good offense and they showed that today. We made some mistakes, but we were able to overcome them at the end. There was some miscommunication on some things that we need to get cleaned up, and it made getting these wins harder than it had to be.”

The Jaguars edged the Blue Raiders 3-2 in game one before coming from behind to down MTSU 4-3 in game two bringing them to 22-9 overall and 10-2 in conference play. With the losses, Middle Tennessee fell to 12-17 on the season and 2-6 in the Sun Belt.

Today, Junior Meghan Collins led South Alabama at the plate going 4-for-7 with two RBI. Junior Brittany Fowler and freshmen Blair Johnson and Alyssa Linn recorded three each while senior Christin Crocker and sophomore Julie Moss added two apiece. Freshman Alex Breeden hit a single in game two giving the Jags 18 hits on the day.  


Game 1 – USA 3, MTSU 2

Despite being outhit 7-9 by Middle Tennessee in game one South Alabama was able to pull out the 3-2 win with two runs in the third inning and one in the sixth.

Sophomore Hannah Campbell (13-6) went the distance in the circle for USA in game one getting the win and lowering her ERA to 2.51. H. Campbell struck out eight Blue Raiders en route to the Jags’ 3-2 victory. Middle Tennessee’s Caty Jutson took the loss and fell to 5-9 on the season.

The Blue Raiders took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when pinch runner Katherine Tucker made it home after a Jaguar error and a single by Kristi Marquez.

In the bottom of the third with Johnson on first and Linn on third, Fowler singled up the left side scoring Linn to tie the game 1-1. After Johnson was picked off at second, Collins hit a two-out single to right plating Fowler and giving South Alabama the 2-1 advantage.

MTSU threatened in the top of the fourth after a hit batter and a pair of hits loaded the bases, but H. Campbell worked her way out of the jam striking out three batters and ending the inning.

After two scoreless innings, USA extended its lead to two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Collins led off the inning with a single to the short stop, but was put out when she tried to get to second. Crocker followed with a double to left field before Jutson struck out Breeden swinging. Moss hit a two-out single up the middle and advanced on a fielding error by Middle Tennessee center fielder Nina Davenport pushing Crocker across home and putting South Alabama on top 3-1.  

The Blue Raiders were able to add one more run in the seventh, but the Jaguars shut them down before they could do any more damage.

Game 2 – USA 4, MTSU 3

After leading the first four innings 1-0, USA allowed MTSU to score two in the fifth and take the lead.  The Jags were quick to answer in the bottom if the inning tying the game 2-2, but the Blue Raiders tacked on another run in the sixth taking the 3-2 lead. South Alabama rallied in the seventh inning plating two runs off of three hits and clinching the series with a 4-3 win.

“The one thing about this group is that they never quit,” Clark said. “This group is never going to going to give up. We’ve had several late-inning wins. We know we can come back if we’re behind so this isn’t a group that sits back and says it’s a ball game. They work until the very end. We’ve just got to do a better job of getting ahead early, and not letting it come down to that.”

Freshman Farish Beard (2-0) picked up her second win of the season after tossing two-thirds of an inning of scoreless relief in the top of the seventh allowing USA to rally in the home half of the inning and win the contest. Beard has now thrown 17 Ks in 9.2 innings of work this year.

Senior Katy Neal (5-3) got the start and pitched 6.1 innings giving up nine hits and three runs to the Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee’s Shelby Stinnett took the loss and dropped to 5-3 on the year.

Overall, USA outhit MTSU 11-9 in game two.

The Jags got on the board first this time around when Crocker led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo shot over the left field fence.

MTSU scored two runs in the top of the fifth off of three hits, but USA was quick to respond adding one in the home half of the inning and tying the contest 2-2. Johnson opened the bottom of the fifth with a double to right. Linn then beat out a bunt and advanced to second while Johnson made it to third. Johnson came home when Fowler grounded out to Blue Raider second baseman Kayla Toney.
 
In the top of the sixth, Middle Tennessee took the 3-1 lead after a Samantha Nieves single drove home Kaycee Popham.

The Jaguars two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh gave USA the second win of the day and its fourth consecutive conference series. Three singles in a row by Linn, Fowler and Collins would be enough to score Linn and tie the game at 3-3. With Collins on first and Fowler on second, Crocker hit a sacrifice bunt to advance the pair before Moss reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Fowler to cross home plate and end the game in favor of South Alabama 4-3.

USA will square off with Middle Tennessee at noon on Sunday in the series finale 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).