USA vs. Nicholls box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Ten hits and two multi-run innings pushed the University of South Alabama softball team past Nicholls State by a score of 10-1 in five innings Tuesday night at Jaguar field for USA’s sixth straight win.

With the Jags’ second win over Nicholls this season, USA improves to 24-9 and 11-2 in conference play while the Colonels fall to 8-22 on the year.

South Alabama got production throughout its lineup with seven student-athletes recording hits in the contest. USA freshman left fielder Alyssa Linn hit in the No. 1 hole and went 2-for-3 with two runs while fellow freshman Kaitlyn Griffith batted eighth and recorded two hits in three at-bats with 2 RBI and a run. Junior Brittany Fowler also went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Senior Katy Neal, juniors and Meghan Collins and sophomore Julie Moss added a hit apiece totaling 10 hits to Nicholls’ five.

After a scoreless first inning, the Jaguars jumped ahead to a 6-0 lead off of four hits, a pair of walks and a Colonel error. Nicholls State starting pitcher Rachael Hugghins walked senior Christin Crocker to start the bottom of the second before Crocker stole second – her 10th stolen base of the year. Collins then reached on an error by Nicholls second baseman Ashley Bertot allowing Crocker to reach third. A Moss sacrifice fly ball to left field pushed Crocker across home plate for USA’s first run of the game.

R. Huggins then walked Neal sending Collins to second. Griffith followed with a single up the middle plating Collins. With two outs in the inning, Linn singled to shallow left field loading the bases. A three-run double off the bat of Johnson came next putting South Alabama on top 5-0. Fowler then hit a single to left center which was enough to send Johnson home and give the Jags the 6-0 advantage.

In the home half of the fourth, the Jaguars tacked on four more runs off of five more hits putting the eight-run rule into affect. Linn led off the inning with a single to right center before a Fowler double off the center field fence pushed Linn to third and chased R. Hugghins into the dugout. R. Hugghins’ twin sister, Victoria Hugghins, came in to relive her.

V. Hugghins was able to pick up the second out of the inning when Crocker grounded out to her. With two outs, V. Hugghins threw a wild pitch that allowed Linn to score, Collins to get to first and Fowler to reach third. Moss then hit a single to the third baseman scoring Fowler and pushing Collins to second for the 8-0 USA lead. Two consecutive singles by Neal and Griffith would bring Collins and Moss home and seal the deal for the Jaguars.

The Colonels had multiple opportunities to make a run at South Alabama loading the bases in the third and fifth innings and putting a runner in scoring position in the fourth, but a strong defensive effort and two Jaguar double plays held Nicholls to a single run.

After USA retired the side in the first and second innings and with one out in the third, junior pitcher Jessica Dobson walked Paige Miller giving the Colonels their first base-runner. Nicholls got its first hit of the game from Alaina Guidry putting runners on first and second, but Dobson was able to escape unscathed striking out Kat Angeles swinging before Neal turned the double play tossing it back to Dobson who tagged Miller out at the plate.

Fowler had a big fourth inning defensively for the Jaguars participating in all three outs. Colonel first baseman Leah Andrus reached first off of a walk. Then Nicholls’ Ashley Ray popped up to Fowler for the first out of the inning. After a single by Megan Gaspard put Andrus in scoring position, Fowler turned USA’s second double play of the game tagging Gaspard out at second before throwing Ashton Bennett out at first.

Nicholls’ only run of the game came when a pair of hits by Bertot and Miller and a walk loaded the bases before Dobson hit Leah Andrus plating Miller.

Dobson (3-0) remains undefeated after picking up her third win of the year. Dobson struck out two batters and allowed only one run and five hits in her mid-week appearance.  

Nicholls’ R. Huggins took the loss after giving up seven hits and eight runs in 3.1 innings of work while V. Huggins tossed two-thirds of an inning and allowed three hits and two runs.

Next, the Jaguars will kick off a five-game road swing with a Conference series against No. 8 Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette, La., on April 6-7.

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).