STATESBORO, Ga. – A day after setting a new program record for consecutive Sun Belt Conference victories, University of South Alabama softball saw that streak snapped, as the Jaguars gave up three unanswered runs to fall to Georgia Southern, 5-3, in the series finale on Sunday.
 
 USA (26-12, 14-3 SBC) defeated the Eagles (25-19, 10-5 SBC) twice in run-rule fashion on Saturday to clinch a fifth-straight league series, outscoring Georgia Southern, 25-1 (11-1; 14-0), on the day. The victories extended the Jags' win streak to 14 games, a new program standard.
 
South Alabama jumped ahead of the Eagles, 3-2, in the top of the fourth inning on Sunday, but a pair of costly Jaguar fielding errors with two outs on the board in the fifth frame ultimately spelled defeat.
 
Devin Brown had been lethal up to that point – she finished the contest with12 strikeouts, surpassing the previous Jaguar single-season strikeout total of 234 set by Beth Pilgrim in 2009 – save for a hit by pitch and subsequent game-tying home run given up in the third.
 
After Brown retired a pair in order, Taylor Rogers struck out swinging but reached on the play after the ball in the dirt got away from senior catcher Stephanie Pilkington. Senior third baseman Emily Messer then bobbled a grounder from Emily Snider, before Morgan Robinson's go-ahead, two-run double to deep right field to put the Eagles up, 4-3.
 
Jaguar senior first baseman Alex Breeden drew a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth, but a pop out and Eagle double play nullified any visitor momentum.
 
Eight-hole Georgia Southern hitter Alesha Mann homered with two away in the bottom of the sixth to give the Eagles insurance.
 
USA sophomore second baseman Kaleigh Todd singled to lead off the top of the seventh, but two groundouts and a foul out ended the contest.

The Jaguars scored a run apiece in the first two innings Todd scored on a wild pitch in the opening frame and drove in Kristian Foster in the second after the latter drew a leadoff walk. Snider lifted a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the third to tie the game after Lydia Witkowski got on with a hit by pitch.
 
South Alabama led the game in hits, 6-4, with Todd leading the way on 2-for-3 hitting with an RBI and a run scored.  The multi-hit game was Todd's 12^th of the season.
 
Haleigh Lowe went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Kristian Foster scored after drawing a walk to reach for the 15^th-straight game, and Haleigh Lane extended her hitting streak to 15 games after going 1-for-3. Messer went 1-for-3 to improve her on-base streak to 25 games.

Brown fell to 15-8 on the year after allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits with a walk and two hit by pitches to go along with the 12 strikeouts. Dixie Raley earned the win for Georgia Southern, improving to 18-9 after scattering six Jaguar hits and striking out three against five walks and allowing three runs (all earned).
 
The Jaguars now turn their focus on a midweek trip to Southeastern Conference opponent No. 4 Alabama.
 
Wednesday's game versus the Tide is set for a 6 p.m. start. Links to live stats, video and play-by-play audio 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.
 
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).