THIBODAUX, La. – After Nicholls State tied scoring at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a pair of hits and walks, No. 22 University of South Alabama softball responded by scoring five runs in the top of the seventh to win, 7-2,  and extend its winning streak to seven games on Wednesday.
 
The Jaguars (8-2) took advantage of a pair of Nicholls State errors and three hit by pitches, while also drawing seven total walks. South Alabama outhit, the Colonels, 5-3.
 
"I thought we had great at bats the entire game," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "There were a lot of line drives and hard-hit ground balls, but we just hit them right at somebody. The one at the end, in the big inning, we got to go through.
 
"The biggest thing I was waiting to see was how we'd come back after they scored the two runs," Clark continued. "And we stayed steady. After that, our pitchers gave us a chance to win it. Obviously, I'd like to not see us walk two people in the sixth inning with a two run lead, but we'll figure that part out. Other than that, I thought it was a well-pitched game."
 
"I thought this was a great win," she added. "[Nicholls State] is a great team, and they compete. I thought it was a well-played game, and I didn't think there was a point in the game that we started to press."
 
USA junior center fielder Stephanie Pilkington reached base for the 10^th time this season in as many games after she drew a pair of walks and was hit by one pitch. The Lake City, Fla., native also scored a run.
 
Pilkington drew a two-out walk to load the bases for sophomore catcher Chloe Rathburn in the top of the third inning, and Rathburn delivered a single down the left field line to drive in junior third baseman Emily Messer and sophomore Amanda Minahan, which put USA ahead, 2-0.
 
USA starting pitcher Devin Brown (4-1; 2.12 ERA) retired the Colonel side in order in the bottom of the second inning and continued the habit until she allowed a leadoff single and two walks in the bottom of the sixth. Her classmate, Kalen McGill, came on in relief and immediately allowed Danielle Phillips a game-tying, two-run single that Jaguar senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith came up inches short of stopping.
 
Nicholls State starting pitcher Hannah Haydel was replaced by Jackie Johnson at the beginning of the seventh inning, and Johnson dealt a hit by pitch to Minahan and walks to Pilkington and Johnson each to load the bags.
 
Haydel was reinserted and struck out USA senior first baseman Amanda Herron for the second out of the inning before walking Griffith for the go-ahead third run. Jaguar freshman second baseman Kristian Foster then supplied a two-run single to left field to put USA ahead, 5-2.
 
Messer ripped a two-run single through the right side off of Nicholls State reliever Taylor Hastings later in the inning for the final pair of runs.
 
McGill retired the Colonels in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure her third win of the year, moving to 3-0. She finished with a pair of strikeouts in an inning and a third. Brown finished with eight strikeouts to two walks and a pair of runs (earned) on as many hits in 5 2/3 innings.
 
Johnson was credited with the loss, falling to 2-3 on the year after giving up three runs (all earned) on two walks and no hits in one-third of an inning. Haydel finished with a pair of strikeouts to five walks and four runs (all earned) on as many hits in six and a third. Hastings allowed one hit in a third of an inning.

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