BOONE, N.C. – University of South Alabama softball sophomore right-hander Devin Brown pitched a complete-game no-hitter with 13 strikeouts, and the Jaguars recorded a season-high-tying 12 hits to defeat Appalachian State, 6-0, on Saturday and sweep the Sun Belt Conference series.
 
USA (18-10, 6-2 SBC) swept Friday's doubleheader against the Mountaineers (7-27, 1-8 SBC), 2-0 and 7-2. Brown one-hit the Mountaineers with 14 strikeouts in game one, and Amanda Minahan supplied a three-run home run to give USA breathing room in the nightcap.
 
South Alabama takes an eight-game win streak into its next contest, a midweek clash with McNeese State at Jaguar Field on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Links to live stats, video and ticket information can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page.
 
In-game Twitter updates are provided for each USA contest via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
 
Brown (10-6) was one walk away from tossing her second perfect game in a week on Saturday, after the Mobile, Ala., native recorded the feat for the first time in her career last Sunday versus Louisiana-Monroe in an 8-0, five-inning Jaguar victory to earn SBC Pitcher-of-the-Week and Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Co-Pitcher-of-the-Week honors.
 
Brown's 13 strikeouts on Saturday marked her 11^th double-digit strikeout performance in 20 total appearances this season. The shutout was her seventh in 16 starts, and she has racked up 176 strikeouts in 105 2/3 innings this year.
 
Haleigh Lane set a career high in hits after going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Kaleigh Todd tied her career high in hits after batting 3-for-4 with a pair of runs. Kristian Foster tied her career high in RBI after driving in three on a two-run base hit and a sacrifice fly.
 
Stephanie Pilkington went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and runs and an RBI. Emily Messer scored a run and drove one in to extend her hitting streak to 15 games. Todd and Messer have now reached safely in 15 straight, while Haleigh Lowe, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, has now reached in 14 consecutive games.
 
USA scored a run apiece in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead, before tacking on four runs in the final two innings to pull away. The Jaguars left a season-high 16 batters stranded on Saturday.
 
"Devin went after hitters all day long," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "She did a good job of pounding the zone and managing the lineup. I'm happy with the hits on the offensive side, but we have to get hits with people on base. We gave up a couple of opportunities there.
 
"Overall, it was a good day, since we got the 'W,' but there are some areas we need to clean up," Clark added. "Any time you walk away from a road weekend with three wins, you have to be happy with that, but there are some areas we still need to take a step forward in."
 
After leaving the bases loaded in the first frame, USA scratched one across in the top of the second to go ahead, 1-0. Lane led off the inning with a single through the right side and moved to second on Dayla Gulledge's base hit. The pair was advanced into scoring position on Alex Breeden's sacrifice bunt, and Lane scored on Messer's follow-up groundout to second base.
 
USA left the bags juiced for a second time in the top of the third, before Pilkington singled up the middle an inning later to plate Messer, who reached on a Mountaineer fielding error to lead off, and double USA's lead to 2-0.
 
South Alabama stranded a pair in the bottom of the fifth after Minahan was hit by a pitch to lead off and Breeden drew a two-out walk.
 
The Jaguars tacked on a pair of runs an inning later, beginning with Foster's second sacrifice fly of the year, which scored Todd, who drew a leadoff walk. After Minahan was hit by another pitch, Lane crushed a doubled down the left field line to plate Pilkington, who walked after Todd.
 
Foster struck again in the top of the seventh when her base hit to deep center scored Todd and Pilkington, as USA went up, 6-0. Todd reached on a two-out fielding error by the Mountaineers, while Pilkington followed with a two-out walk.
 
App State starter Annaleise Kennedy suffered the loss, falling to 2-9 after allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout in three innings. Reliever Claire Eosso gave up two runs (both earned) on three walks in two innings. Vanessa Ciocatto threw two innings of relief and gave up two runs (none earned) on four hits with a walk and a strikeout.
 
South Alabama moved to 6-0 all-time versus Appalachian State. USA improved to 5-4 on the road with Saturday's victory.
 
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).