MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball defeated Texas-Arlington, 7-3, on Sunday in game three to claim a fourth-straight Sun Belt Conference series sweep, improving its league winning streak to 12 games.
 
Kaleigh Todd set a new career high in hits to lead USA (24-11, 12-2 SBC) after going 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Devin Brown improved to 14-7 on the year after striking out 13 Maverick batters for a second time in the series, with no walks and three runs (all earned) allowed on seven hits.
 
Brown has now struck out 10 or more batters 14 times in 24 total appearances this year. Her total for the year now stands at 226, eight shy of tying Beth Pilgrim's record for the most in South Alabama single-season history.
 
Brown finished the weekend 2-0 with 26 strikeouts to a walk in 14 innings with four runs (three earned) allowed on 10 hits. Todd finished 6-for-11 with four runs scored and three RBI. Haleigh Lane went 4-for-8 in the series with three RBI and two runs scored, while Emily Messer scored four runs on three hits and walked three times over the weekend. Stephanie Pilkington drove in four total runs in the series.
 
South Alabama hosts Nicholls State this Wednesday, April 13, 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.
 
USA jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, Messer and Todd scoring. Messer drew a leadoff walk and stole second, followed by Todd, who singled and stole, with Messer coming around on an errant throw attempt to erase Todd on her steal attempt.
 
Amanda Minahan bunted Todd over to third, and Haleigh Lowe drew a walk to bring up Pilkington, who lifted a sacrifice fly to left center to score Todd and double USA's lead to 2-0.
 
The Jags scratched one across in the bottom of the fourth when Lane singled to score Tucker Caraway from second. Caraway pinch-ran for Pilkington, who led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on Kristian Foster's sacrifice bunt.
 
USA put the game out of reach with a four spot in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead, 7-0. Messer reached first on a Maverick fielding error, and then scored when Todd doubled down the left field line to give the hosts a 4-0 lead. Minahan followed with a base hit to left to put a pair in scoring position.
 
Lowe drew a walk to load the bags, and Pilkington drew a walk to send Todd across the plate for a 5-0 Jaguar lead. Foster drew another bases-loaded walk to make it 6-0, and Lane supplied a sacrifice fly to plate Minahan.
 
Texas-Arlington (25-11, 4-8 SBC) put up three runs in the final two innings, beginning with a pair in the top of the sixth. Laura Curry got on with a one-out single and moved to second on a wild pitch before coming home on Britnea Barilli's double off the wall in right field. Mallory Foster then singled to score Barilli, which cut USA's lead to five runs.
 
The Mavericks scratched one more across in the top of the seventh to cut USA's lead to 7-3 when Sandra Mendoza doubled to left center to score Kayci Moore, who pinch ran for Rebecca Stokes after the latter singled with one away. Brown retired a pair in order to end the contest.
 
UTA starter Samantha Clakley suffered her second loss on the weekend, falling to 14-8 after allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Reliever Taylor Simmonds walked the only batter she faced in a brief fifth-inning appearance.
 
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).