MOBILE, Ala. – No. 24 University of South Alabama softball fell twice to No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette, 3-2, and 9-3, on Saturday in a doubleheader that marked the first Sun Belt Conference series of the season for the teams.
 
The Jaguars (15-5, 0-2 SBC) rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull within a run of the Ragin' Cajuns in game one, before ULL scored nine runs off 10 hits in the second game to clinch the series.
 
Game three is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday. Links to live stats, ticket information and live video can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
 
Louisiana-Lafayette (17-2, 2-0 SBC) junior first baseman Kelsey Vincent went 5-for-8 on the day with three RBI and a pair of runs scored, while senior Leandra Maly was 5-for-6 with one RBI and a run scored to lead the Ragin' Cajuns. Junior catcher Lexie Elkins supplied three RBI in game two, with junior left fielder Shellie Landry providing a pair in the contest.
 
Jordan Wallace (7-1) picked up the win in the first game after striking out eight Jaguar batters to three walks and allowing two runs (both earned) on only three hits. Christina Hamilton, the 2014 SBC Pitcher of the Year, moved to 4-1 with the win in the second game after she scattered seven hits, allowing three runs (all earned) and striking out one to two walks.
 
USA junior third baseman Emily Messer led the Jaguars at the plate on Saturday, going 4-for-7 with three runs scored and a walk. Sophomore Chloe Rathburn supplied three RBI on a pair of hits. Senior left fielder Blair Johnson hit her first home run of the season in game two, a solo shot to right field.
 
Jaguar freshman right-hander Devin Brown took both losses, falling to 7-4 on the year after giving up six runs (all earned) on three hits and nine walks in five innings. Classmate Kalen McGill also gave up six runs (four earned) on 13 hits in nine innings.
 
"ULL played well and did what they needed to win," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "They got hits when they had the opportunities, and they played hard. We've got to take a look at what we did today, and try to come out tomorrow and get better."
 
Game one – No. 24 South Alabama 2, No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette 3
After Brown dealt back-to-back one-out walks to Elkins and Landry, the pair scored to put Louisiana-Lafayette ahead, 2-0, in the top of the third inning. The former was plated on Vincent's two-out double to left field, while the latter came around on a wild pitch.
 
ULL added to its tally in the top of the fifth when Vincent delivered another RBI with a single that scored Cassidy White, who pinch ran for Elkins after the latter reached on a Jaguar throwing error. McGill, who came in to relieve Brown in the top of the fourth frame, threw low of Amanda Herron at first to allow the runner to reach and advance to second on the play.
 
The Jaguars pulled to within a run in the bottom of the sixth, beginning with Rathburn's RBI single that scored Messer from third. Messer led off with an infield single and freshman Kristian Foster was hit by a Wallace pitch immediately after. Kaleigh Todd came on to pinch run for Foster and scored on Minahan's two-out bases-loaded walk. Wallace forced a pop up out of Herron to stop the Jaguar rally.
 
Messer drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh, but Todd struck out swinging and Pilkington flied out to left field.
 
Messer was 2-for-3 in game with a run scored, while Rathburn was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
 
Brown gave up two runs (both earned) on as many hits while striking out three to five walks in 3 2/3 innings. McGill threw 3 1/3 innings of relief, giving up one run (unearned) on four hits with one strikeout and no walks.
 
Game two – No. 24 South Alabama 3, No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette 9
ULL scored in all but one inning in game two with a three-run second and two-run seventh being the difference in an otherwise nip-and-tuck contest. The teams traded a run apiece in the first, fourth and fifth innings.
 
After loading the bases to lead off the game ULL went ahead, 1-0, when sophomore Haley Hayden scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Samantha Walsh. Hayden drew a leadoff walk before Landry singled and Elkins reached on a Jaguar fielding error.
 
USA tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on Rathburn's RBI single through the left side, which scored Messer, who singled to lead off. Foster's sacrifice bunt moved Messer to second, and the Mobile, Ala., native went to third on Pilkington's groundout.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns scratched three across a half-inning later, beginning with Landry's two-run single off McGill, who entered in relief of Brown after the latter walked three ULL batters to load the bags. Elkins provided the first of her three sacrifice flies in the game to score Hayden, giving ULL a 4-1 lead after two-and-a-half.
 
Hayden scored again in the top of the fourth to make it 5-1 Ragin' Cajuns after she reached on a Jaguar throwing error and then came around on Elkins's second sacrifice fly. The Jaguars pulled within three in the bottom of the fourth on Johnson's two-out solo homer to left field.
 
Vincent answered in the top of the fifth with a solo shot of her own to restore ULL's four-run lead, 6-2.
 
Rathburn lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Messer, who singled, to make it 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth, but ULL tacked on three unanswered to cap its victory.
 
Elkins's third sacrifice fly scored Hayden, who led off with a double to right center, in the top of the sixth. Vincent singled, and Aleah Craighton doubled to lead off the top of the seventh before Maly's single scored the former to make it 8-3. DJ Sanders's groundout scored Craighton for the final run of the game.
 
Pilkington got on with a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but Rathburn fouled out to end the contest.
 
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).