Game Notes

MOBILE, Ala. – No. 22 University of South Alabama softball takes a break from Sun Belt Conference play this Wednesday when it hosts Nicholls State in a midweek matchup set for 5 p.m. at Jaguar Field.
 
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 for each contest via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
 
USA (27-7, 11-3 SBC) is coming off a three-game sweep of SBC opponent Texas-Arlington last weekend, marking the third straight league series the Jaguars have swept in as many weeks, South Alabama now boasting a 10-game conference win streak.
 
Senior first baseman Amanda Herron led the Jaguars at the plate in Arlington, going 5-for-10 with five RBI and a pair of runs scored, including two home runs. Classmate Kaitlyn Griffith recorded three homers in the series, as the shortstop has now hit six bombs in her last six games.
 
Senior left fielder Blair Johnson hit 5-for-10 with two RBI and scored five runs. Freshman second baseman Kristian Foster was 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles.
 
Freshman right-hander Kalen McGill became the fourth Jaguar this season to earn a weekly conference honor when she was named Pitcher of the Week after recording a pair of victories last weekend, both in relief, to extend her win streak to five games.
 
McGill (12-1; 2.18 ERA) struck out eight Maverick batters and allowed as many hits with no walks in 10 1/3 shutout innings.
 
Sophomore catcher Chloe Rathburn leads the Jaguars at the plate with a .385 batting average, including a team-high 42 hits and 36 RBI. Junior center fielder Stephanie Pilkington is close behind with a .363 average and club-best .488 on-base percentage, aided by 22 walks.
 
Sophomore right fielder Amanda Minahan, third on the team in batting average with a .341, has reached safely in her last 11 contests. Junior third baseman Emily Messer has scored a team-high 33 runs.
 
Senior right-hander Farish Beard, selected by the Dallas Charge in the 2015 National Pro Fastpitch Draft last week, is 5-2 in the circle with a team-low 1.40 ERA. She has struck out 55 to 19 walks and allowed only nine earned runs in 45 innings pitched this season.
 
South Alabama is 16-4 versus non-conference opponents this season and 12-4 at home. USA has won 11 of its last 12 games, the lone loss coming at No. 1 LSU on March 24.
 
The Jaguars used a five-run seventh inning to defeat Nicholls State, 7-2, in the teams' Feb. 18 meeting in Thibodaux, La. Messer, Rathburn and Foster each supplied a pair of RBI on a hit apiece in the contest, while Minahan scored a pair of runs. McGill was credited with the win after throwing 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief, allowing only one Colonel hit.
 
Nicholls State is 22-14 on the year and 8-7 in Southland Conference play, having most recently clinch a three-game set versus McNeese State with wins in game one and two. The Colonels have won five of their last six.
 
Haley Stevenson leads Nicholls State at the plate with a .387 batting average, including a team-high .528 slugging percentage and three triples. Brooke Morris has recorded a team-leading 43 hits and is 8-for-10 in stolen bases. Kayla Prater has driven in a team-best 33 runs.
 
Hannah Haydel is 12-6 in the circle with a team-low 2.37 ERA, while Jackie Johnson (4.12 ERA) is 5-6 and Taylor Hastings (4.92 ERA) is 5-2.
 
USA leads the all-time series with Nicholls State, 11-4. The Jaguars are 6-1 all-time versus the Colonels at Jaguar Field.
 
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).