USA vs. USM box score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Three multi-run innings and a strong showing by freshman pitcher Farish Beard led to the University of South Alabama softball team’s 8-0 shutout of Southern Miss Saturday afternoon at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.

Following its eighth shutout of the season, USA advances to 26-12 overall while USM falls to 12-23 on the year.

“It was a great all-around effort,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “When we put our pitching, our offense and our defense together this is a very good club. We’re always happy to get a win on the road. It was a great team effort all the way around.”

USA’s Beard (3-1) picked up her third win of the season only giving up two hits and recording a career-high 12 strikeouts. Courtney Ramos dropped to 4-9 after allowing 12 hits and eight runs.

“Farish pounded the strike zone,” Clark said. “She threw a lot of strikes and that’s what we want out of our pitchers. She had 12 strikeouts and one walk so that was a great outing for her. Alex (Breeden) called a very good game behind the plate. Those two did a very good job of working together.”

South Alabama outhit Southern Miss 12-2 on the day. Freshman Alyssa Linn led the charge going 3-for-3 with a run. Fellow freshman Alex Breeden and junior Meghan Collins each had two hits in three at-bats and two runs. Junior Brittany Fowler, sophomore Haley Richards and freshman Blair Johnson added a hit apiece.

“From an offensive standpoint, you can see the things that we’ve talked about and the adjustments we made last week,” said Clark. “They’re doing it. They’re having great at-bats. We’ve emphasized having a great at-bat, having a good approach and being a tough out and we’ve done that. We did that against Florida State and we did that today.”

After two scoreless innings, Collins hit a three-run home run over the right field fence putting the Jaguars on top 3-0. Linn led off the third inning with a single to the shortstop and advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by Johnson. After another USA out, Ramos hit senior Haley Hopkins allowing her to take first. Collins followed with her fifth home run of the year plating Linn and Hopkins.

The Jags doubled the score in the fourth adding three runs off of three hits. Breeden opened the inning with a hard-hit single down the left field line before making it to second off a Richards sacrifice bunt. Ramos issued a walk to junior Britany Campbell followed by the second out of the inning. Johnson hit her first collegiate triple sending Breeden and B. Campbell home. Fowler then pushed Johnson across with her first triple of the season.

South Alabama extended its lead to eight runs in the seventh with a double and a home run off the bats of Collins and Breeden. Collins’ lead-off double down the right field line gave the Jaguars a runner in scoring position. After sophomore Julie Moss hit a fly ball to left field for the first out of the inning, Breeden hit her second home run of the year over the Southern Miss scoreboard in left center field scoring Collins

The Jags return to action Sunday at 2 p.m. when they host the Golden Eagles 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).