Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. – For the third game of the weekend, No. 15 University of South Alabama drew first blood versus No. 18 Louisiana-Lafayette, going ahead, 1-0, in the top of the second, but the Ragin' Cajuns scored five unanswered runs in the following two innings to hand the Jaguars their second straight Sun Belt Conference series defeat in Sunday's rubber match at Lamson Park.
 
Alex Breeden delivered a one-out solo home run, her team-leading seventh of the year, to give the Jaguars (32-8, 9-4 SBC) a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but ULL (30-7-1, 11-1 SBC) posted a three-run third inning and two-run fourth to pull away, extending its lead atop the league table.
 
The clubs tied in hits with seven apiece, but USA left seven runners on base in game three, adding to its total of 29 stranded all weekend.
 
"We've got to make pitches, we've got to make plays on defense and we've got to hit [with our opponents]," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "Today, we didn't do that, and that was the difference."
 
ULL scored its first three runs with two outs on the board in the bottom of the third.
 
After USA starter Hannah Campbell forced back-to-back groundouts, Natalie Fernandez reached on Taylor Rodgers's fielding error at second. Fernandez then knotted scoring on Haley Hayden's RBI triple to left center, which fell short of both Blair Johnson and Stephanie Pilkington, both whom diving to make the play.
 
Lexie Elkins then took the next Campbell pitch over the wall to score two more and extend the host advantage to 3-1.
 
USA left two stranded in the top of the fourth when Blair Johnson batted into a fielder's choice that forced out Amanda Minahan, who singled down the left field line to join Rodgers (single) on the base paths, on second.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns tacked on two more in the bottom half of that inning when Shelbi Redfearn, who singled, scored on a second Jaguar fielding error, Minahan unable to reel in Kelsey Vincent one-hop single to right field. Sara Corbello then delivered an RBI single to left field to score Leandra Maly, pinch-running for Vincent, for the 5-1 margin.
 
Rodgers went 2-for-3 on the day, while Minahan, Johnson, Breeden, Kaitlyn Griffith and Amanda Herron got a hit apiece.
 
Campbell fell to 13-4 with the loss after giving up five runs, only one of them earned, on seven hits and striking out one to a single walk. Holly McKinnon threw two innings of shutout relief for the second time this weekend, striking out one to a pair of walks and giving up one hit.
 
USA will next host Georgia State in its second-to-last three-game league series on April 18-19 at Jaguar Field. Games will be played on Friday and Saturday in respect to Easter Sunday.
 
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).