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MOBILE, Ala. – No. 21 University of South Alabama responded to a 1-0 loss in game one of Saturday's doubleheader versus Troy at Jaguar Field with a 3-2 win in game two to clinch the Sun Belt Conference versus the Trojans and conclude the regular season with a win.
 
The first game of the series took place on March 26 in Troy. USA won that game, 9-1.
 
USA finishes the regular season 38-11 overall and 15-6 in SBC play. The Jaguars clinched a two seed in the 2014 SBC Tournament, which takes place next week in Lafayette, La. South Alabama and top-seed Louisiana-Lafayette earn automatic byes to the third round of play at the league finale on Thursday, May 8.
 
Senior Julie Moss, making her first appearance since suffering a broken arm versus UAB on Feb. 19, went 3-for-4 on Saturday with slugging and on-base percentages of .750 apiece. Alex Breeden, Emily Messer and Blair Johnson provided an RBI apiece, with Johnson, Alyssa Linn and Stephanie Pilkington scoring runs for USA.
 
Farish Beard earned the win in the second game on Saturday, moving to 20-5 on the year after striking out eight Trojan batters to one walk and giving up two runs (earned) on five hits. Hannah Campbell gave up an unearned run in the first game, which proved the difference in the contest and dropped her to 16-5 overall. She struck out nine on the day no walks and scattered five Trojan hits.
 
With the game three win, USA moved to 16-2 at home this season.
                                                          
More information on USA's opponents for the league tournament will be announced when games conclude on Sunday.
 
Game One – USA 0, Troy 1
The Jaguars managed only a pair of hits to Troy's five in the first game, one each coming in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, after Troy starter Ashley Rainey retired USA in order in each of the first four innings.
 
Troy scratched its run across in the top of the fifth on a Jaguar fielding error when USA first baseman Amanda Herron dropped a two-out groundout attempt, which allowed Bria Epps, pinch-running for Rainey, who led the frame off with a single, to score from third.
 
Moss pinch-hit for Taylor Rodgers in the bottom of the sixth and broke up Rainey's no-hitter with a single to shallow center, but Rainey retired three straight USA batters to strand Moss.
 
The Jaguars loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh after Chloe Rathburn singled, Breeden walked and Amanda Minahan reached on a Trojan fielding error, but Herron popped out and Rodgers batted into a fielder's choice that led to a force out of Breeden at third.
 
Rainey moved to 9-5 on the year with the win after allowing only the two hits, striking out two USA batters and walking three.
 
Game Two – USA 3, Troy 2
The Jaguars jumped ahead, 2-0, in the first three innings when Breeden delivered a two-out RBI single that scored Johnson, who reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the first, and Johnson doubled in the bottom of the third to plate Pilkington, who drew a leadoff walk in the frame.
 
Troy answered with solo homers from Erica Davis and Meg Willis in the top of the fourth to tie scoring at two-all.
 
Three straight singles to lead off the bottom of the fourth, however, put USA ahead, 3-2, after Linn, Rodgers and Messer each got base hits, Messer's scoring Linn from second.
 
The Trojans nearly equalized in the top of the fifth when Kacie McAllister, who reached on a two-out single, rounded home on Amanda Winters's double to right field, but a crisp relay between Minahan and Rodgers set up Breeden to make the tag at home plate and keep the visitors off the board.
 
Beard retired six of the final seven Troy batters to secure the victory.
 
Reliever Sara Mock took the loss for Troy after giving up one run (earned) on four USA hits in 3 2/3 innings. Jaycee Affeldt started for the Trojans and gave up two runs (earned) on five hits.
 
USA improves its all-time advantage over Troy to 14-9.
 
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).