MOBILE, Ala. – No. 24 University of South Alabama softball broke a four-all tie with Oklahoma State on Friday at the 2015 Mardi Gras Invitational when junior center fielder Stephanie Pilkington drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning to defeat the Cowgirls, 5-4, at Jaguar Field.
 
The 2015 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection watched ball four pass to bring classmate Emily Messer around for the victory, South Alabama's second in the final inning in a week after sophomore right fielder Amanda Minahan delivered a walk-off double last Sunday against Houston for a 3-2 Jaguar win at the 2015 Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala.
 
The Jaguars finished on the winning end of five total lead changes, previously going ahead in the first and third innings, as Oklahoma State used the long ball to its advantage on a cold night on the opening night of the fifth annual Mardi Gras Invitational. OSU's Danielle Riddle and Vanessa Shippy each homered, combining for three RBI on the night.
 
USA starter Devin Brown gave up all four runs (three earned) on four Cowgirl hits in four innings. Reliever Kalen McGill, making her second career appearance, held OSU to a single hit over the final three innings. The Jaguars put up a run apiece in the sixth and seventh frames to both tie and go ahead.
 
"That wasn't really a pretty game; we made some mistakes that we shouldn't be making," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "The good news is that we competed all the way through, and we gave ourselves a chance to win in the end. Kalen did a great job coming into a pressure situation and working us out of that to give us a chance in the end.
 
"We've got two big games tomorrow, so we've got to come out and compete again," she concluded.
 
The Jaguars moved to 4-2 on the year with Friday's win, while Oklahoma State fell to 1-4. OSU's Whitney Whitehorn, who struck out a pair to five walks and allowed five runs (all earned), took the loss for the Cowgirls, falling to 0-3 on the year.
 
USA racked up a season-high 14 hits on Friday, powered by Pilkington's 3-for-4 showing. First baseman Amanda Herron was 3-for-3, while Minahan, Messer and senior left fielder Blair Johnson each recorded a pair of hits.
 
Minahan hit her seventh career homer and USA's first of the year to tie the game on Friday in the sixth inning.
 
South Alabama took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Johnson delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Minahan, who was hit by a pitch.
 
The Cowgirls answered with a pair of go-ahead runs in the top of the second on Riddle's two-run blast over the left field wall that sent across leadoff Mallory Collins, who walked.
 
After Pilkington popped out and sophomore Chloe Rathburn grounded out to lead off the bottom of the third, OSU's Whitehorn issued consecutive walks to senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith, Johnson and senior catcher Alex Breeden. Herron and Messer each supplied infield singles to plate Griffith and Johnson, which put USA ahead, 3-2.
 
Shippy evened things at three-all with a one-out bomb in the top of the fourth, and Maddie Holcombe, pinch-running for Darcy Taylor, who drew a walk, scored on Michaela Patton's two-out RBI single to put OSU ahead, 4-3.
 
McGill earned her first collegiate win on Friday, finishing with four strikeouts to one walk in three innings. Brown struck out nine batters to three walks in four frames.
 
South Alabama takes on Lipscomb and Butler on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., respectively. Live stats can be found via links listed on the Jaguar softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided on the Jaguar's official handle @USAJagsSoftball.

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).