Becky Clark // Farish Beard Postgame Interviews

SBC Tournament Central

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Two-seed and No. 23 University of South Alabama softball will make its fourth consecutive Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship game appearance on Saturday after defeating five-seed Georgia State, 3-1, to advance.
 
USA (37-11) fell to top-seed and No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette, 6-3, in the winners' bracket game prior to the Georgia State win, as the Ragin' Cajuns booked their ticket to the final. South Alabama faces ULL in the conference tournament final for the second year in a row and third time overall, with the teams each owning a win in the previous two outings (2014 - ULL won, 4-1; 2012 - USA won, 3-1).

The winner of Saturday's championship game will receive an autromatic bid the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
 
First pitch on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. Links to live stats, live video, broadcast by ESPN3, and ticket information can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page. In-game Twitter updates are provided via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
 
South Alabama jumped ahead of ULL, 2-0, in the top of the first inning before the Ragin' Cajuns scored six unanswered via five home runs, the most given up by the Jaguars since March 24, 2007.
 
Jaguar senior right-handed pitcher Farish Beard threw a one-hitter to lead USA past Georgia State in the nightcap.
 
Junior third baseman Emily Messer batted 4-for-8 on the day to lead USA, scoring twice and supplying one RBI. Classmate Stephanie Pilkington scored a pair of runs, while senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith and sophomore designated player Chloe Rathburn recorded two RBI apiece.
 
No. 23 South Alabama 3, No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette 6
Messer led off with an infield single to shallow left field, with Pilkington and Rathburn each drawing walks to load the bases for Griffith, who was hit by ULL right-hander Christina Hamilton's pitch to send runners around and put USA ahead, 1-0, in before an out was recorded in the top of the first inning.
 
Freshman Kristian Foster then drew a bases-loaded walk to double USA's advantage to 2-0.
 
Louisiana-Lafayette answered with six runs on five homers through the next six innings. Haley Hayden lifted a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the first to cut the Jaguar lead to a run, 2-1, and DJ Sanders tied the game at 2-all with her solo homer in the next frame.
 
Lexie Elkins and Samantha Walsh supplied back-to-back two-out solo bombs in the bottom of the fifth, as ULL took a 4-2 lead, and pinch-hitter Sara Corbello's two-run blast, which plated Sanders, who drew a one-out walk, gave the Ragin' Cajuns a four-run margin.
 
Jaguar senior right fielder Alyssa Linn singled to lead off the top of the seventh, and freshman Kaleigh Todd drew a walk to put two on for USA. A fielder's choice off the bat of Messer eliminated Linn at third before Rathburn scored Linn from second with a two-out double to left center to pull USA within three. Griffith fouled out to Elkins to end the game.
 
USA starter Kalen McGill took the loss, falling to 16-3 on the year after giving up four runs (all earned) on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. Reliever Devin Brown gave up two runs (both earned) on a hit and a walk.
 
ULL's Christina Hamilton picked up the win, improving to 11-2 after holding the Jags to only four hits, while giving up two three runs (all earned) and six walks with two strikeouts.
 
Messer finished the contest 2-for-4 with a run. Rathburn was 1-for-2 with an RBI and two walks. Pilkington also drew a pair of walks and scored once.
 
USA stranded seven runners in the contest to ULL's four.
 
No. 23 South Alabama 3, Georgia State 1
Messer reached on a single and later scored again in game two, coming around on Rathburn's single to left field to put USA ahead, 1-0, in the bottom of the first frame.
 
The Jaguars doubled their advantage in the bottom of the fourth when Messer tripled to center field, sophomore center fielder Amanda Minahan scoring on the play after leading off with a bunt single, as USA doubled its lead to 2-0.
 
USA scratched a third run across an inning later when Griffith doubled to plate Pilkington, who got on with a one-out single to center field.
 
Georgia State loaded the bases in the top of the sixth when Beard hit leadoff Taylor Anderson, Ashley Christy reached on a Jaguar fielding error and Ivie Drake singled to shallow right field for GSU's first and only hit of the contest.
 
After Beard struck out Callie Alford looking, Lauren Coleman lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Anderson to put the Panthers on the board.
 
Beard retired GSU in order in the top of the seventh to cap the victory. The Fairhope, Ala., native improved to 11-4 on the year with the complete-game win after striking out four to as many walks and allowing an unearned run on a single Panther hit.
 
Katie Worley took the loss for GSU, falling to 14-10 after giving up three runs (all earned) on 10 Jaguar hits with three strikeouts and a walk.
 
Messer was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored to lead the Jags. Pilkington was 2-for-3 with a run, while Rathburn and Griffith each supplied one RBI. Minahan was 1-for-3 with a run.
 
Rathburn and Pilkington have now reached safely in a team-high 16 consecutive contests. The former has recorded a hit in each SBC Tournament game thus far.

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).