Box Score

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. – Behind a characteristically-strong fifth inning and the pitching of Hannah Campbell, University of South Alabama softball defeated Nicholls State, 7-1, on Wednesday to extend its current win streak to eight games.

The Jaguars are now 9-1 and in the midst of a program-best start. The Colonels drop to 4-6 on the year.

USA spoiled the Colonels' 2013 home opener, extending its all-time advantage over NSU to 7-5.

The visitors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Stephanie Pilkington, who walked and then stole second, scored on a Colonel fielding error that Meghan Collins reached on. It was Pilkington’s first of two stolen bases on the night; she leads the club with eight this year.
 
USA left four runners on base in the following three innings, but the lead was preserved by Jag starter H. Campbell, who improved her season record to 3-1 on Wednesday behind 10 strikeouts, seven of which occurred before the fifth inning, a frame that has served a special significance for USA this season, as 29 out of its 75 (39%) total runs have come in the fifth inning.
 
Pilkington, again, walked and stole second to initiate USA’s lead extension in the top of the fifth. Blair Johnson followed by doubling down the left field line, plating the runner for a 2-0 visitor advantage. Brittany Fowler singled to right center, pushing Johnson to the hot corner. Haley Fagan later dropped a single to right field that scored both Johnson and Fowler, after the latter stole second, to give USA a 4-0 lead.

The Colonels got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when NSU’s batting leader, Ashley Bertot, singled up the middle to score Courtney Vanlandingham, who hit to first to start the frame. H. Campbell produced her 10th strikeout to stub the hosts’ momentum.

USA added three m ore runs in the final two innings when Pilkington doubled to score Linn, who pinch-ran for walkee Alex Breeden in the sixth. Breeden, the club’s RBI leader, posted numbers 10 and 11 on the year when she ripped a bases-loaded single down the left field line to plate Collins and Fagan, making it 7-1 USA.

Pilkington ended the contest 2-for-2 with a hit, an RBI and two walks and stolen bases apiece. Fowler, Fagan and Breeden each went 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs between them.

H. Campbell improved her record to 3-1 on the year. She threw her second complete game of the season and now leads the club with 30 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.02 in 27.1 innings pitched.

Nicholls managed only­ four hits in the loss to USA’s 10. NSU freshman Hannah Haydel took the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year. Haydel threw 4.1 innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits.

“The defense was big in this game,” H. Campbell said. “We took momentum from each inning to get us going at the plate and I think it helped big time. As a pitcher I know going out there that I can depend on our bats, so I just do my part when I hit the field.”

A short turnaround will see USA back on the road on Thursday, traveling west for a tournament hosted by Jacksonville University, where South Alabama will match up against Mount St. Mary’s, Seton Hall, Delaware and the host-Dolphins, all for the first time.
 
NOTES:
·         Fagan extended her team-leading hitting streak to seven games since failing to register a hit in USA’s first three. The freshman now leads the squad at the plate, batting .385.
·         Fowler, the team’s leader in runs scored (10), now has four multiple hit games on the year.
·         USA stole six bases in as many attempts on Wednesday. The Jags have converted 26-of-27 (96%) stolen bags this year.
·         The Jaguars recorded a season-high 10 hits on Wednesday. USA has done so four times this year.
·         H. Campbell’s 10 strikeouts were the most USA has administered to an opponent and the most Nicholls State has given up in 2013.
 
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).