Box Score

GULFPORT, Miss. – No. 14 University of South Alabama softball defeated UT-Chattanooga, 2-1, on Sunday to complete the first-annual 2014 Mississippi Gulf Coast Softball Classic at the Gulfport Sportsplex in Gulfport, Miss., with a 4-1 record.
 
The Jaguars recover from a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Baylor on Saturday night to move to 15-2 on the year. USA will rest this week and travel to Boca Raton, Fla., next weekend for the Parents' Weekend tournament, hosted by Florida Atlantic.
 
Farish Beard struck out nine batters in four innings to pick up her ninth win of the season, moving to 9-1. Hannah Campbell struck out a pair of Moc batters in three innings of relief to record her third save of the season.
 
Stephanie Pilkington led USA at the plate, going 3-for-3 and scoring the game-winning run. Chloe Rathburn drove her in to break a 1-1 deadlock in the bottom of the fourth inning. Taylor Rodgers supplied the game-tying run an inning before, rounding home on designated player Clara Bowen's RBI single that knotted scoring after UTC scratched a run across in the top of the first.
 
"Any win on day three [of a tournament] is a good win," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "You're moving on fumes and finding a way to scratch one out. We've got some things we need to clean up, but I'm extremely proud of our effort today. Our team gave it everything they had. UT-Chattanooga is a good team."
 
USA outhit the Mocs, 5-2, and took advantage of a pair of UTC errors. Taylor Deason took the loss for the Mocs, giving up both runs (one earned) and allowing four hits. Katie Henderson struck out four USA batters in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
 
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).