GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dominique Grossman's sacrifice fly in the seventh inning lifted Florida International over South Alabama, 3-2, as the Panthers took advantage of several Jaguar defensive miscues, scoring three runs on only three hits for a come-from-behind victory on Sunday.
 
USA (10-8) finishes the 2016 Aquafina Invitatinoal with a 2-2 record after defeating Florida A&M and Illinois State at the event and losing to No. 1 Florida and FIU. The Jaguars begin Sun Belt Conference play next weekend with a three-set at Louisiana-Lafayette.

"We are better than how we're playing," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "We're doing some things really well and having some breakdowns in other areas. We'll have a good week of practice this week to get some of those things figured out."
 
South Alabama took a 2-0 lead over the Panthers (13-8) in the first inning, before committing a pair of costly errors in the top of the third. Kristian Foster drove in Emily Messer for USA's first run in the opening frame, and Alex Breeden doubled the Jaguar lead to 2-0 with a bases-loaded walk.
 
That lead slipped away in the third inning, beginning with a Jaguar throwing error that allowed leadoff Deven Kennedy to reach. Kennedy was bunted over to second by Grossman, scoring on the next play when Jaguar catcher Paige Holmes misplayed a tag at home, and the ball flew from her glove into the USA dugout.
 
Ashley Leon then singled up the middle to plate nine-hole Jessica Hallett, as FIU tied the game at 2-2.
 
Jaguar reliever Destin Vicknair's only walk in three innings pitched proved costly, as Ashley Belans drew one in the leadoff position to start the seventh inning, moved to second on Kennedy's sacrifice bunt and reached third on a passed ball to set up Grossman for the sacrifice.
 
USA stranded seven runners on base over the final four innings, leaving 11 total stranded in the contest, including two in the bottom of the seventh. The Jaguars outhit FIU, 7-3.

Messer led the way by going 3-for-3 with a run. The Mobile, Ala., native recorded her 11^th multi-hit game in 18 played this year. Foster went 1-for-2 with a run and a walk. Breeden was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
 
Vicknair fell to 5-2 with the loss after allowing one run (unearned) with a strikeout, walk and no hits allowed in three relief innings. Starter Devin Brown gave up two runs (both unearned) on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks in four innings.
 
Corinne Jenkins improved to 2-3 with the complete-game win for FIU after striking out six to five walks and allowing two runs (both earned) on seven hits.
 
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