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GULFPORT, Miss. – No. 14 University of South Alabama softball defeated UT-San Antonio Saturday afternoon, 3-0, behind Farish Beard's career-high 15 strikeouts and second career no-hitter before falling, 1-0, to No. 12 Baylor in the nightcap on day two of the 2014 Gulf Coast Classic in Gulfport, Miss.
 
The Jaguars are now 14-2 on the year and will conclude this weekend's tournament with a 1:30 p.m. clash with UT-Chattanooga on Sunday.
 
USA outhit UTSA, 4-0, scoring all its runs in the fourth inning, but managed only a pair of hits in the loss to Baylor, seven short of the Bears' total. The loss marked the first time USA has been shut out in 58 games, dating back to a 4-0 loss to No. 1 Alabama on Feb. 28, 2013.
 
Beard's 15 strikeouts versus the Roadrunners surpassed her previous best of 14, which she'd accumulated twice, first in 2012 versus Mercer, the second against Mississippi State at the 2013 NCAA Mobile Regional. The no-hitter was her second, after her first against Troy a year ago to conclude the regular season.
 
Freshmen Taylor Rodgers and Amanda Minahan combined to drive in the three USA runs in USA's win, the former delivering a two-RBI single that added to the latter's solo home run, the first of Minahan's career.
 
Hannah Campbell took the loss versus Baylor, falling to 4-1 on the year after going all seven innings, striking out eight to only one walk and allowing the lone run (earned). Whitney Canion struck out 12 USA batters, the most strikeouts for the Jaguars since March 29, 2013 (Emily Rousseau; Western Kentucky), to move to 8-3 on the year.
 
Chloe Rathburn and Emily Messer recorded a hit apiece versus the Bears.
 
No. 14 USA 3, UTSA 0
Beard hit the second UTSA batter of the game, and then retired 15 straight before giving up a walk in the top of the sixth. After the walk, UTSA placed another runner on by way of fielder's choice, the pair of runner subsequently advancing to second and third on a wild pitch before Beard closed the fortuitous Roadrunner chance with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
Beard hit one more batter in the top of the seventh before another bout of back-to-back strikeouts ended the contest.
 
USA took its three-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, Minahan leading off the frame with a solo bomb to straightaway center field. After Blair Johnson drew a walk and Kaitlyn Griffith singled, Rodgers ripped a single to left field that allowed both runners to score.
 
The shutout was USA's sixth on the year and Beard's fourth. Beard now has 81 strikeouts and only a single earned run allowed in 43 1/3 innings pitched for a 0.16 ERA. UTSA's Chelsea Parker fell to 1-2 with the loss after allowing two runs (earned), striking out two and allowing a pair of walks in three innings. Kacy Freeze allowed one run in three innings.
 
No. 14 USA 0, No. 12 Baylor 1
A tit-for-tat contest between top-15s came down to the final frame, and both clubs were given their respective opportunities to take control. On Saturday, it was the Bears who capitalized.
 
USA designated player Clara Bowen drew a one-out walk in the top of the seventh with the game still scoreless and was replaced by pinch-runner Gwen Jones, who reached third after stealing second and advancing on a Baylor throwing error.
 
A groundout brought Minahan to the plate with two outs and the go-ahead run at third, but the freshman, contrary to her consistency in clutch situations as of late, was unable to drive Jones across, suffering Canion's 12^th strikeout of the night, marking the most USA strikeouts this season by four.
 
Baylor leadoff Kaitlyn Thumann drove in the game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the seventh, delivering a single that scored junior shortstop Jordan Strickland from third after she led off with a single of her own.
 
"Tonight's game was a great game; it was a pitcher's duel, which is what that's what we expected it to be," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "The difference was, when they were presented with a window of opportunity, they took advantage of their opportunity, and we didn't.
 
"But, this is great for us as a team," she added. "This is what the postseason looks like. You're going to face a great team with a great pitcher, and you're going to have to figure out how to beat them. Obviously, I'd like to have won this game, but it's great for us – we will learn and get better from this."
 
USA placed a runner on in three of the first four innings, and Jaguars Messer and Minahan got to first and second in the top of the fifth, but USA could not profit. Two Baylor batters got on in the bottom of the first, but Campbell retired three straight to keep the Bears off the board early.
 
After retiring five straight Baylor batters, Campbell gave up a single in the bottom of the third to BU center fielder Lindsey Cargill, who was called out moments later after leaving early on a steal attempt for second, prompting a response from Baylor head coach Glenn Moore. The head coach was then tossed from the game for dissent.
 
Campbell escaped jams with two runners on in both the third and fifth innings to keep things scoreless until the bottom of the seventh. The senior finished the night with eight strikeouts and nine hits allowed.
 
"I'm proud of our kids; I thought they competed the entire game," concluded Clark. "I thought Hannah did a great job on the mound. We stayed calm tonight and competed. The most important game we've got is the one in front of us. Even though this game didn't go how we wanted it to, we've got to do what champions do: come in here and finish strong."
 
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).