MOBILE, Ala. – No. 22 University of South Alabama softball scored 11 runs on 10 hits to defeat Nicholls State, 11-7, on Wednesday night at Jaguar Field, with pitcher Farish Beard picking up the win and Kalen McGill recording the save.
 
USA (28-7) extends its win streak in all competitions to seven games, while moving to 13-4 at home this season. South Alabama also improves to 12-4 all-time versus Nicholls State (22-15).
 
Jaguar junior third baseman Emily Messer led the hosts on 3-for-4 hitting with a pair of RBI and three runs scored, increasing her hit streak to seven games. Sophomore Amanda Minahan improved her 11-game span of reaching safely after recording three hits with a run.
 
Senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith and sophomore Chloe Rathburn each supplied three RBI and a run apiece, while senior left fielder Blair Johnson lifted a home run in the fifth and finished with two RBI.
 
South Alabama scored in all but one inning, powered by a four-run first, and outhit the Colonels, 10-8, on the night. The Jags have now recorded double-digit hit totals in six of their last seven contests.
 
Beard moved to 6-2 with the win on Wednesday after striking out five to two walks, while allowing four runs (all earned) on five Colonel hits in four starting frames. McGill picked up her third save of the year – she's now third all-time at USA in the category – after throwing three relief innings and striking out seven to no walks and allowing three runs (one earned) on as many hits.
 
"Nicholls has been playing well, and we knew coming in that they were winning and had been playing with a lot of confidence," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "Their slappers did a good job putting the ball in play against Farish, but she started to work it out toward the end, and she started throwing a bit better in the end. [Kalen] came in and did a good job of slamming the door.
 
"I thought our offense did a great job today of coming in and setting the tone," Clark added. "We applied pressure all throughout the game. That's been one of our goals: to be consistent with that. We're going to look to carry that over into the weekend."
 
Nicholls State jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Haley Parkerson, after leading off the night with a double to left center, scored on Brooke Morris's base hit.
 
USA answered by plating four in the bottom half of the initial frame.
 
Rathburn supplied an infield RBI single that scored Messer, who led off with a base hit, and Griffith followed with a two-run double to left center, which scored Rathburn and freshman Kristian Foster, who drew a walk after Messer's base hit. Johnson then lifted a sacrifice fly to right center to score Griffith to give USA a 4-1 lead after one complete.
 
The Colonels pulled even with the Jaguars in the top of the second with three runs, beginning with Parkerson's two-out, two-run double to right center, which plated Jessica Taylor and Cari Spain, who singled and walked, respectively. Morris supplied another RBI on her single to shallow center, which allowed Parkerson to score the tying run.
 
Pilkington delivered a hard hit to score Messer from second after the latter stole her 30^th career base, which moves her to fifth all-time at South Alabama, as USA went ahead, 5-4, in the bottom of the second.
 
After a scoreless third inning, USA put up two runs apiece across the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to take an 11-4 lead.
 
Rathburn drew a bases-loaded walk to score Messer, and Griffith lifted a sacrifice to left field to plate freshman Kaleigh Todd in the bottom of the fourth for a 7-4 Jaguar lead.
 
USA's advantage grew to 9-4 an inning later when Johnson led off with a solo bomb, her fourth of the year, and Rathburn drew a second base on balls with the bags full.
 
The Jags grew a seven-run lead in the bottom of the sixth on Messer's two-out, two-run double to center field, which allowed Herron, who walked, and Minahan, who led off with a single, to come around.
 
Nicholls State scratched three across in the top of the seventh, beginning with Morris's infield single that scored Spain, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Morris and Parkerson then scored on a Jaguar throwing error before McGill retired the final two Colonel hitters swinging to end the contest.
 
Jackie Johnson suffered the loss for Nicholls State, falling to 5-7 on the year after giving up seven runs (all earned) on as many hits with five walks and a pair of strikeouts. Taylor Hastings threw 2/3 innings of relief, giving up two runs (both earned) on one hit with two walks. Hannah Haydel gave up two runs (both earned) on as many hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout in 1 1/3 relief frames.
 
USA returns to Sun Belt Conference play when it hosts Georgia Southern this weekend in a three-game league set. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. and precedes the Sunday finale, scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
 
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).