ATLANTA, Ga. – No. 24 University of South Alabama softball responded to a one-run, first-inning deficit by scoring eight straight over four frames and staving off a late Georgia State rally to win Sunday's Sun Belt Conference series finale, 8-3.
 
USA (24-7, 8-3 SBC) took games one and two, 8-7 and 13-11, respectively, in Saturday's doubleheader. The Jaguars secure their second straight SBC series sweep, having now reeled off seven straight league victories.
 
South Alabama got seven total runs from its 6-7-8 hitters, senior Kaitlyn Griffith, freshman Haleigh Lowe and senior Amanda Herron, while freshman Kristian Foster and sophomore Amanda Minahan combined for five RBI.
 
Freshman right-hander Kalen McGill recorded her first career complete-game victory after limiting the Panthers to three runs (all earned) on nine hits with a walk and a strikeout in seven innings pitched. McGill improved to 10-1 after being credited with all three wins on the weekend.
 
"I'm really proud of our effort. The biggest thing about this weekend is how we stood up and fought," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "I love this about our kids; we know it's there, and we finally got it consistently from them all three games.
 
"I can't say enough about what [Kalen McGill] did, giving us every opportunity on the mound," Clark continued. "The bottom of our order was huge. I thought we had great at bats all weekend long."
 
Minahan led USA at the plate on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, including a solo homer that put USA ahead, 6-1, in the top of the fourth. Lowe and Herron each batted 2-for-2 with three runs scored, one RBI and two walks. Foster went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles. Griffith chipped in with a run and junior third baseman Emily Messer recorded one RBI.
 
Taylor Anderson put GSU (23-10, 5-4 SBC) ahead, 1-0, in the bottom of the first with a leadoff home run.
 
Panther starter Katie Worley retired two Jaguars in order in the top of the second before issuing three straight walks to Lowe, Herron and Messer. Freshman Kaleigh Todd, who struck out in her first plate appearance in the leadoff position, was replaced by Kristian Foster, and the decision paid dividends, as the pinch-hitter singled to plate USA's first run.
 
Minahan was then hit by a pitch to send Herron across, as USA took a 2-1 lead.
 
McGill issued a leadoff walk to Kensey Caldwell in the bottom of the second before a fielder's choice off the bat of Mandy Blackwell led to a force out at second. Griffith then supplied an unassisted double play to end the inning, as USA would keep the Panthers scoreless over the second, third and fourth frames.
 
The Jaguars tacked on three to go up, 5-1, in the top of the third inning, beginning with Lowe's two-out double to right center, which scored Griffith, who walked just before. Herron followed with a double of her own to score Lowe from second, and Messer singled to the outfield to drive Herron home.
 
USA tallied a pair of insurance runs in the top of the fifth when Foster singled to score Lowe, who drew a leadoff walk, and Minahan hit through the right side to plate Herron, who got on with a program-record-tying second double of the game, for a seven-run Jaguar lead.
 
Blackwell's leadoff home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning drew the Panthers to a six-run deficit, and Ivie Drake's two-out single through the left side scored Anderson, who reached on a fielder's choice, to draw the score to 8-3. A grounder to McGill ended the spurt.
 
USA could've provided itself more breathing room after loading the bags in the top of the sixth on singles from Griffith and Lowe and a Herron base on balls, but Messer grounded into a fielder's choice that resulted in a force out at home, and Foster went down swinging.
 
Megan Litumbe lead off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left center for GSU, and pinch-runner Brenna Skalski moved to third on Coleman's sacrifice bunt, but the runner was left stranded after McGill forced a groundout and fly out.
 
GSU put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the seventh on Anderson's single and a Jaguar error, but McGill struck out Drake looking and forced Callie Alford into a groundout to short.
 
Worley (7-4) suffered the loss for GSU after giving up five runs (all earned) on as many hits with four walks and a strikeout in 2 2/3 innings pitched. Chelsea Stanfield gave up three runs (all earned) on three hits with a pair of walks in 1 1/3, while Taylor Thorpe gave up four hits in three shutout relief innings with two walks and a strikeout.
 
Minahan finished the weekend 7-for-14 with eight RBI and five runs scored, including two home runs. Griffith hit three home runs and scored four runs. Junior center fielder Stephanie Pilkington scored five runs, while Johnson and Rathburn supplied four and five RBI, respectively. Low walked four times, scored three runs and delivered a pair of RBI.
 
McGill allowed only six runs (all earned) on 17 GSU hits with five strikeouts to a pair of walks in 15 innings pitched in the series.
 
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).