Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Illinois tied the contest at two-all in the bottom of the seventh inning, but No. 14 University of South Alabama softball went ahead three runs in the top of the eighth for a 5-2 victory to conclude Parents' Weekend at Florida Atlantic with a 4-1 record.
 
The win marked USA's second in as many games this weekend versus the Illini, after the Jaguars (19-3) downed Illinois, 5-3, on Saturday.
 
USA head coach Becky Clark inserted Alyssa Linn as a pinch-runner in the top of the sixth, and the junior remained in the game at left field. With two on and two out in the top of the eighth inning, Linn tripled to left field, giving USA a 4-2 lead.
 
Farish Beard struck out seven Illini batters, allowed two runs (earned) and issued only one walk in eight innings to move to 12-1 on the year. Beard finished the weekend 3-0 with 28 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched, allowing only seven hits, two earned runs and issuing only a pair of walks.
 
"This was a big weekend for us; it was a great team win today to end the tournament," Beard said. "We have had to figure some things out, but we ended on a positive note."
 
The Jaguars outhit Illinois, 10-4, recording their most hits since tallying 15 against Lehigh on Feb. 22. Amanda Minahan, Blair Johnson and Kaitlyn Griffith each had a pair of hits apiece, and Stephanie Pilkington, Chloe Rathburn and Amanda Herron delivered an RBI apiece.
 
USA left 10 runners on base, stranding at least one runner in all but one frame. The Jags are now 2-0 this season in extra-inning contests.
 
South Alabama bookended the contest with scores on Sunday, taking a 2-0 lead in the outset on RBI singles from Rathburn and Herron, which scored Minahan and Johnson, respectively, and finishing the game with Linn's two-RBI triple and subsequent score on Pilkington's single through the right side.
 
After going ahead, 2-0, in the top of the first, USA loaded the bags, but Clara Bowen, who earned her second start behind the plate this season, could not push her hit past Illini's second baseman.
 
Beard retired the first seven Illini batters she faced before giving up a walk in the bottom of the third. She then allowed only one runner in each of the next three innings before giving up a leadoff single, hit by pitch, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh before Illinois completed its comeback effort with an RBI single to left field.
 
Griffith was placed on second by virtue of the international tiebreaker rule, implemented in pre-conference tournament play. Taylor Rodgers joined her on the base paths by drawing a one-out walk before Linn went opposite field for the triple that put USA ahead.
 
Beard retired the final three Illini batters in order to secure the victory.
 
"I knew if I wanted to stay in the lineup I had to do something," said Linn of her hit. "With two runners on, I knew I had to take my shot, so I took it, and it worked out well. We figured out a lot of stuff this weekend about hitting and fielding. It's all starting to come together."
 
Beard retired the final three Illini batters in order to secure the victory.
 
USA returns home for the first time since in a month when it hosts Nicholls State in a midweek clash on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
 
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).