TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After a Jaguar fielding error gave No. 4 Alabama two go-ahead runs in the fourth inning, Crimson Tide reliever Alexis Osorio struck out seven of University of South Alabama softball's final nine batters, as USA dropped a 4-2 midweek, non-conference tilt at Rhoads Stadium on Wednesday.
 
USA (26-13) took a one-run lead in the top of the first, before Leona Lafaele's two-run shot put the hosts ahead, 2-1. Jaguar freshman Dayla Gulledge knotted the game with a solo blast – the first of her career – with two outs in the bottom of the second.
 
Reagan Dykes and Marisa Runyon led off the bottom of the fourth with singles for Alabama (39-8), and the pair moved into scoring position on Sydney Booker's sacrifice bunt.
 
Jaguar reliever Destin Vicknair fanned Merris Schroder for out number two, and the runners would've been frozen if not for a throw high of first by USA catcher Stephanie Pilkington on Peyton Grantham's tap three feet in front of the plate. Both Dykes and Runyon scored on the play to put Alabama ahead, 4-2.
 
Osorio came on with one away in the top of the fifth and allowed only two hits for her fifth save of the year. Starter Sydney Littlejohn picked up the win to improve to 18-3 after striking out four to no walks with four hits allowed in 4 1/3 innings and two runs allowed (both earned).
 
"When you play a team like this, you want to walk away feeling like you got better," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "I definitely feel like we got better. It was great to see the at-bats we had, especially from some of our younger players, against two of the top pitchers in the nation.
 
"[Alabama] put a ball in play, and we didn't take care of it, but, to me, that's not the difference in the game," Clark added. "We've got to stand at the plate and drive in some runs."
 
Vicknair suffered her first loss in over a month for South Alabama, falling to 11-4, after allowing two runs (both unearned) on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks in four innings. Devin Brown started the game and struck out a pair to one walk, while allowing two runs (both earned) on two hits in as many innings.
 
Alabama outhit South Alabama, 6-5, on the night. Lafaele led the way for the Tide on 2-for-3 hitting with two RBI and a run scored. Haylie McCleney, Dykes and Runyon each went 1-for-3 with a run apiece.
 
For South Alabama, Emily Messer improved her on-base streak to a school-record-tying 26 consecutive games after going 2-for-3 with a run scored. The multi-hit game was her team-leading 19^th on the season. Gulledge finished 1-for-3 with a run and RBI, while Kaleigh Todd and Pilkington recorded a hit apiece.
 
USA travels to Texas State this weekend for its penultimate Sun Belt Conference series. A Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. precedes Sunday's finale, set for an 11 a.m. start. Links to live stats 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/USAJagua,rSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).