2013 Mardi Gras Invitational Information

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team will play host to its second-annual Mardi Gras Invitational this weekend, welcoming Central Arkansas, Jackson State, Lamar and Ole Miss for an 11-game tournament that will take place at Jaguar Field from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon.
 
USA’s initial matchup is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday versus UCA, after the Bears face Ole Miss at 1:15 p.m. The Rebels and Lamar will open tournament play at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
 
On Saturday, the Jaguars will battle Ole Miss (3:30 p.m.) and Lamar (5:45 p.m.) after Jackson State plays the Cardinals and UCA. Ole Miss and JSU will open play Sunday morning, with the Jaguars following versus UCA and JSU at 12:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.
 
USA is coming off a hot weekend in Starkville at the Bulldog Kickoff Classic, where the squad opened the 2013 campaign with wins over Mississippi State, Tennessee State and Georgia State.
 
Blair Johnson leads the club with a .417 batting average after going 5-for-12 with four walks last weekend. The sophomore hit her first collegiate home run against MSU to put the Jags ahead after a two-run Bulldog shot put USA behind in the first inning. Brittany Fowler is hitting .333 with two RBI and a home run. Meghan Collins blasted a three-run shot against Georgia State en route to a 8-0 run-rule victory.
 
For the first time since the 2010 season, a University of South Alabama softball pitcher was named Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week when the league announced on Monday that Jaguar sophomore Farish Beard was the 2013 season’s opening-week selection.
 
The last South Alabama pitcher to earn the weekly award was Beth Pilgrim on May 10, 2010.
 
Beard, a native of Fairhope, Ala., went 2-0 in three appearances in the Jags’ opening weekend at the Bulldog Kickoff Classic in Starkville. She struck out 16 and allowed only two runs for a 1.02 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched.
 
The right-hander allowed no extra-base hits on the weekend, and pitched 5.1 innings of hitless ball in six totals innings against Georgia State. The sophomore pitched three and two-thirds innings of relief for USA against Tennessee State, holding the Tigers to no hits and striking out five as the Jags scored eight successive runs following her entry. Beard was voted to the all-tournament team for her weekend performances.
 
All South Alabama home games are available via webcast through the All-Access section at www.usajaguars.com. Live stats are available for all South Alabama baseball games, and can be accessed through the multimedia section at USAJaguars.com.
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).