USA vs. WKU box score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The University of South Alabama softball team rallied in the sixth inning tying the game with Western Kentucky before beating the Hilltoppers 4-2 in eight innings in the semifinals of the 2012 Sun Belt Conference tournament Friday night at the FAU Softball Complex.

With the win, South Alabama (38-15) advances to the SBC championship for the first time in program history to take on the No. 1 seed Louisiana-Lafayette and breaks the school record for most wins in a season. Game time is set for 4 p.m. ET and will air regionally on the Sun Belt Network (CSS/CST) and out of market on ESPN3.com.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am for our kids,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “They deserve this. I’m extremely proud of them. They came back from behind against a very tough team. We’re a team that never says die and never quits. That was a great team win. We got contributions from everybody. I can’t say how excited I am for our program and our student-athletes.”

Western Kentucky falls to 33-25-1 on the year.

Sophomore Hannah Campbell (22-10) picked up the win after tossing two innings of hitless relief allowing the Jags to take their first lead of the game. Freshman Farish Beard tossed four innings and gave up three hits and a pair of unearned runs, while senior Katy Neal pitched two innings and allowed three hits. The Lady Toppers’ Mallorie Sulaski threw all eight innings and dropped to 3-5 on the season.

The Jaguars put up seven hits to WKU’s six with seven student-athletes contributing hits. Seniors Haley Hopkins and Christin Crocker, juniors Brittany Fowler and Meghan Collins, sophomore Julie Moss and freshmen Alyssa Linn and Blair Johnson each added a hit to USA’s total.

Western Kentucky got on the board first after a hit batter, a Jaguar error and a hit led to a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sulaski line a two-run single to right center scoring Karavin Dew and Shawna Sadler with two outs in the bottom of the inning.

South Alabama tied it up in the top of the sixth with two runs off three hits. With one out in the inning, back-to-back doubles by Johnson and Fowler plated the first Jaguar run of the game before an error by WKU shortstop Amanda Thomas pushed Fowler across tying the game 2-2.

USA took its first lead of the contest in the top of the eighth with two runs off three hits and a Hilltopper error. After Johnson flied out to center field, Suleski hit Fowler. A Hopkins single through the left side moved Fowler to second followed by Collins base hit to center to load the bases. Crocker then hit a shot to short left field, bringing Fowler home for the first South Alabama lead of the contest. Hopkins also scored on that play as Western Kentucky left fielder Laura Smith made a throwing error after fielding Crocker’s hit.

The Jaguar defense made the runs stand up retiring the side in the bottom of the eighth and ending the game.   

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).