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MOBILE, Ala. – Mississippi State scratched two runs across in the top of the eighth inning to hand No. 23 University of South Alabama softball its first loss of the season, 4-2, on opening night of the 2016 Mardi Gras Invitational.
 
Samford defeated SIU-Edwardsville, 3-2, in the opening game of the event on Friday.
 
Amanda Ivy's one-out double in the top of the sixth inning put a pair of Mississippi State runners in scoring position for Katie Anne Bailey to deliver an RBI groundout that scored Loryn Nichols, tying the score and effectively sending the game into extra innings.
 
Mississippi State (6-0) scratched a pair of runs across in the top of the eighth inning to hand South Alabama (5-1) its first loss of the season.
 
"It was a hard-fought game; it was played well on both sides," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "We had a hard time finding the big hit tonight. Devin [Brown] pitched well; they square some stuff up, but we were able to get out of it.
 
"We're going to see how we respond to this when we come out tomorrow."
 
USA tied scoring at 1-1 in the bottom of the third and took a one-run lead in the fifth frame. Kristian Foster's base hit in the bottom of the third inning plated her classmate Kaleigh Todd, who singled to lead off and stole second.
 
Again, the pair linked up in the bottom of the fifth, when Foster singled to right center to score her counterpart after Todd reached on a Bulldog fielding error and swiped second once more. The hosts held their lead for a half-inning.
 
Mississippi State opened scoring in the top of the first inning on a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Jaguar starter Devin Brown gave up a pair of one-out base hits before hitting Mackenzie Toler and Sarai Niu to score Kayla Winkfield.
 
Four Bulldogs recorded multiple hits, with Winkfield and Caroline Seitz providing two RBI apiece. Nichols and Ivy each scored a run. Reliever Holly Ward earned the win for the Bulldogs, improving to 4-0. Ward threw three shutout innings and struck out three to two walks.
 
Brown suffered the first loss of her sophomore season after giving up all four runs (earned) on six hits, matching the season total she entered the night with. She struck out nine batters and walked six. Destin Vicknair pitched one inning of relief and gave up two hits.
 
Foster finished the night 3-for-3 with two RBI. Emily Messer was 2-for-5, while Todd, Paige Holmes and Haleigh Lane each had a hit.
 
South Alabama faces Samford tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 3:45 p.m.
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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).