Game Notes

MOBILE, Ala. – No. 22 University of South Alabama softball takes part in its first midweek contest of the 2015 season when it visits Nicholls State on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. contest at Colonels Softball Complex.
 
The meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was pushed back due to the expectation of severe weather in the area.
 
Links to live stats can be found by visiting the softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided via the program's official handle @USAJagsSoftball.
 
USA (7-2) is currently riding a six-game win streak, most recently sweeping its own 2015 Mardi Gras Invitational with defeats of Oklahoma State, Lipscomb, Butler and Evansville over the weekend.
 
The Jaguars batted .387 at the event, outhitting its opponents, 41-17, and outscoring them, 28-11. South Alabama's pitching staff held the opposition to a .187 batting average, while striking out 32 opposing batters and allowing only nine earned runs in 26 total innings.
 
South Alabama sophomore outfielder Amanda Minahan was voted Most Valuable Player for the weekend's tournament after she recorded six RBI and five runs scored on five hits. The Lisle, Ill., native posted an .800 slugging percentage and .412 on-base percentage with a pair of doubles, a triple and her first home run of the season.
 
Joining her on the all-tournament team was junior outfielder Stephanie Pilkington, who batted .556 (5-for-9) with four runs scored, two RBI and seven walks. Pilkington recorded a .667 slugging percentage and .750 on-base percentage.
 
"I feel like our offense has progressively gotten better," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "I think they have done a great job of making the adjustments we have asked them to make and have taken steps forward each day. The big hit and the big inning is something we have been working towards, and I thought Sunday was a culmination of our work. Overall we did a great job all weekend of grinding out at-bats."
 
Freshmen Kalen McGill and Devin Brown were also named to the all-tourney team after going 2-0 each over the weekend. McGill allowed only a single run (earned) on five hits while striking out seven in 10 innings. Brown struck out 25 batters in 11 innings, breaking into the all-time top 10 in the category at USA over the weekend.
 
"Our pitching staff has been huge for us and has stepped up and given us a chance to win every game we have played," Clark commented. "Our two freshmen have been thrown in the fire early and have done an overall great job with it. I think the experience for them is huge and is going to prove to be invaluable as the season progresses."
 
Nicholls State is 6-4 on the year after most recently going 1-3 at the Samford Invitational in Birmingham, Ala. The Colonels began the season 5-1 after recording four wins at the Lion Classic in Hammond, La. Nicholls State outscored its opponents, 28-8, at the event.
 
Sophomore third baseman Haley Stevenson leads the Colonels at the plate with a .464 batting average and .531 on-base percentage. Junior catcher Kayla Prater and her classmate Danielle Phillips have recorded 11 RBI apiece.
 
Sophomore right-hander Taylor Hastings is 2-0 in the circle with a 2.10 ERA after allowing three earned runs on 10 hits in as many innings. Junior Hannah Haydel and sophomore Jackie Johnson, both righties, are each 2-2 on the year.
 
The Colonels defeated Texas-Arlington, of the Sun Belt Conference, 4-0, at the Lion Classic, with Johnson claiming the win after allowing only a single Maverick hit in six innings.
 
USA leads the all-time series with Nicholls State, 10-5, 3-2 in Thibodaux. In the teams' last meeting in 2014, former USA standout Hannah Campbell threw her second career perfect game to help the Jaguars secure a 2-0 victory in Mobile.

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).