Game Notes

MOBILE, Ala. – No. 21 University of South Alabama softball travels to Hattiesburg this Wednesday for a non-conference midweek clash with Conference USA rival Southern Mississippi at 6 p.m.
 
Links to live stats, ticket information and live video streaming can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
 
USA (32-7, 14-3 SBC) defeated the Golden Eagles, 9-1, in six innings in Mobile on March 18. South Alabama improved its all-time series record versus USM to 9-3-1 with the victory.
 
The Jaguars bring an 11-game win streak into the midweek, having swept three Sun Belt Conference opponents and captured non-conference wins over Nicholls State and Mississippi State since a loss to No. 1 LSU in Baton Rouge on March 24.
 
South Alabama is currently in second place in SBC standings behind league-leaders Louisiana-Lafayette (34-5, 17-3 SBC). The Jaguars travel to Troy (currently 3rd; 29-19, 11-7 SBC) for three games on May 2-3 to round out conference play. This weekend's non-conference series versus North Dakota State (April 24-25 @ Mobile) will be USA's final regular-season appearance in Mobile.
 
USA is 18-4 (9-2 home, 3-1 away, 6-1 neutral) versus non-conference opponents this season and is batting .313 against them, while holding them to a .186 average. South Alabama has outhit its non-conference foes, 178-97, and outscored them, 121-59.
 
The Jaguars extended their win streak in all competitions to 11 games last Wednesday when they defeated Mississippi State, 3-2, in Starkville to even their slate versus Southeastern Conference opponents this year. USA defeated South Carolina in Columbia on March, while falling to No. 3 Alabama in the teams' season opener on Feb. 5 and No. 1 LSU in Baton Rouge on March 24.
 
USA responded to the LSU loss by playing its best ball of the year, winning all 11 since then, batting .371 as a team, outhitting opponents, 119-66, and outscoring them, 91-40.
 
Sophomore outfielder Amanda Minahan has led the way during the span, batting at a .486 clip on 18-for-37 hitting with 11 RBI and 10 runs scored. The Lisle, Ill., native has currently reached safely in her last 16 appearances. Senior first baseman Amanda Herron has hit .414 with seven extra-base hits. Herron's is a double away from tying the program's single-season record.
 
Sophomore Chloe Rathburn leads USA at the plate with a .400 batting average, 48 hits and 44 RBI. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native drove in two runs in USA's midweek victory over the Bulldogs and is currently eight RBI from tying the Jaguar season record set by former USA standout Brittany Fowler in 2011.
 
Senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith tied the program's home run record this year when she hit her 11th bomb against Georgia Southern in game three on April 12. Griffith has exploded in conference play this year with 17 RBI, 14 runs scored and nine homers in 17 league contests.
 
Junior catcher Stephanie Pilkington leads USA with a .503 on-base percentage, while third baseman and classmate Emily Messer has scored 37 times in 39 games this year.
 
Senior right-hander Kalen McGill is 14-1 on the year with four saves, having won her seventh straight on Wednesday against Mississippi State. Senior Farish Beard recorded her first career save in that game and owns a team-low 1.77 ERA to go with an 8-2 record. Beard is 6-0 in league play this year and has allowed only four earned runs with 53 strikeouts in 36 1/3 league innings.
 
Southern Miss (17-28, 3-15 CUSA) has won only twice in its last 19 meetings since facing South Alabama on March 18. The Golden Eagles have been swept twice in Conference USA play by Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky, while taking one of three games from Texas-El Paso and Middle Tennessee. USM dropped both games on a doubleheader versus Troy at home, 4-2, and 3-1. Southern Miss also fell twice in a doubleheader against Mississippi State and suffered a run-rule loss to No. 5 Alabama.
 
The Golden Eagles are 9-11 at home this season and 14-13 versus non-conference opponents.
 
Junior infielder Morgan McKeever leads USM at the plate with a .364 batting average, 51 hits, 27 runs scored and a .419 on-base percentage. Junior outfielder Katie Cleary has driven in a team-high 36 runs and owns a club-best .430 slugging percentage.
 
Sophomore right-hander Danielle Block is 5-8 in the circle with a team-low 4.36 ERA, while senior righty Shelbee Rodgers is 5-12 with a 5.28 ERA and a team-high 82 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings pitched.
 
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).