MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team will travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to take on No. 21/22 Florida State Thursday at 5 p.m. at JoAnne Graf Field.  

"It is great for us to have to go back on the road and play another solid team,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “Florida State is one of the top teams in the ACC so we know they will present a challenge. This is a great test for our offense to have to make adjustments from last weekend and then come out and face another quality pitching staff. Our pitchers and defense know that FSU will put a lot of pressure on us so, overall, this is a great test for us to have to rebound against a quality team on the road."

The Jaguars (24-12, 11-5 SBC) are looking rebound from a three-loss weekend after dropping their first Sun Belt Conference series of the season to No. 8 Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette, La. this past weekend. On April 6, the Ragin’ Cajuns topped USA 1-0 in 10 innings in game one and 2-0 in game two. In game three on April 7, South Alabama dropped a 0-3 decision to ULL.

As a team, the Jags are batting .287 on the year with seven student-athletes hitting .250 or better. Senior Haley Hopkins and freshman Blair Johnson lead the way with .347 batting averages. Johnson has racked up a team-leading 41 hits including ten doubles and 18 RBI. Hopkins has recorded a club-high .569 slugging percentage so far this season.

Sophomore Hannah Campbell (14-8) paces the South Alabama pitching staff with a 2.34 ERA. Campbell has thrown 126 strike outs in 137.2 innings of work.  Senior Katy Neal (5-3), who also spends time behind the plate, holds a 2.57 ERA after 11 appearances in the circle.

South Alabama enters Thursday’s game looking for its first-ever win over the Seminoles who lead the all-time series 3-0. In the teams’ last meeting, Florida State shutout USA in 2010, 2-0, at Jaguar Field.

FSU is 36-8 overall and 10-2 in the ACC after downing in-state foe Florida A&M 5-3 in Tallahassee Tuesday evening.

Offensively, Florida State is led by Tiffany Brown who has notched a .309 batting average and 47 hit on the season. Brown has tallied two doubles, three triples and 11 RBI on the season.

The Seminoles split time in the circle between Monica Perry (16-4) and Lacey Waldrop (15-3). Waldrop has a 1.11 ERA and has given up 69 hits and 27 runs in 113.1 innings. Perry holds an ERA of 1.22 and has struck out 158 batters in 131.2 innings of work.

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).