MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball clinched its final Sun Belt Conference series of the season by sweeping a Saturday doubleheader versus Troy at home behind a career-high-tying strikeout performance from Devin Brown and a walk-off double by Stephanie Pilkington.
 
Brown struck out 17 batters in a 6-2 Jag win in game one, tying the personal best she set against Florida A&M in Gainesville on March 4 at the Aquafina Invitational. The double-digit strikeout performance was Brown's 18^th this season in 34 appearances.
 
Pilkington scored a run in game one and went 3-for-4 with three RBI in game two, including the walk-off that hit the top of the wall in right field and plated two runs for the 4-3, come-from-behind Jaguar victory.

"Today was a good day," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "We did a good job offensively in game one, and Devin shut them down. I'm proud of [junior right-hander Destin] Vicknair for hanging in there in the second game and for making the adjustments we asked her to make. She kept them off balance and gave our offense a chance to get back in it."
 
USA (31-16, 16-6 SBC) goes for the sweep of Troy (30-22, 11-12 SBC) on Sunday in the regular-season finale.
 
First pitch is set for 1 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.
 
Game One – South Alabama 6, Troy 2
Jaguar leadoff Emily Messer reached third to begin the game, after she singled, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, freshman designated player Dayla Gulledge doubled to straightaway center to plate Messer for a 1-0 South Alabama lead in the opening frame.
 
USA sent two across in the bottom of the third to go ahead, 3-0, on freshman left fielder Haleigh Lane's two-RBI double down the left field line, which scored Pilkington and Gulledge, who got on with a one-out single and walk, respectively.
 
Gulledge hit her third home run of the season to lead off the fifth inning, putting the hosts ahead, 4-0. Later in the inning, Lane doubled for a second time – tying the program's single-game record in the process – and sophomore second baseman Kristian Foster walked.
 
Fifth-year-senior first baseman Alex Breeden grounded out to move the runners into scoring position, and Lane scored on a wild pitch, before Messer's base hit plated Foster for a 6-0 Jaguar lead.
 
Troy answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to cut USA's lead to four runs. Erica Davis drew a leadoff walk, and Kate Benton got on with a bunt single, before Amanda Winters supplied a two-out, two-run double to center field to make it 6-2.
 
Gulledge and Lane each finished 2-for-3 with two RBI apiece, with the former scoring twice and the latter, once. Messer went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
 
Brown improved to 19-10 with the victory, finishing with 17 strikeouts to a walk and two runs (both earned) allowed on five hits. The Mobile, Ala., native struck out the entire Trojan lineup in order to start the game.
 
Trojan starter Claire Graves suffered the loss, falling to 7-5 after giving up six runs (all earned) on seven hits with five walks and two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings pitched. Reliever Peyton Glover went 1 2/3 innings, giving up a hit and a walk.
 
Game Two – South Alabama 4, Troy 3
The Trojan offense came to life at the start of game two, as Troy jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the first two innings. Meg Willis lifted a two-run home run to left field, scoring Benton, who got on with a leadoff bunt single, to put the visitors ahead, 2-0.
 
Benton scored again an inning later when, after getting on with another base hit, she came around on Hannah Day's RBI double to right center.
 
USA climbed back to within a run, 3-2, in the bottom of the fifth when Messer scored on a wild pitch, and Pilkington grounded out to plate sophomore second baseman Kaleigh Todd.
 
The Jaguars loaded the bases for Pilkington in the bottom of the seventh, and the senior delivered. Freshman right fielder Megan Harris got on with a base hit up the middle, and Messer and Todd each drew walks to fill the stations. Pilkington then propped a double off the top of the wall in right to score Harris and Messer for the Jags' second comeback victory in a week.  
 
Pilkington tied her career high in hits and runs batted in by going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Messer went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, and Todd and Lane scored a run apiece.
 
Vicknair improved to 12-5 on the year with the victory, striking out seven to no walks and allowing only three runs (all earned) on 10 hits. The Reserve, La., native gave up five hits in the first inning to Troy, and then limited the Trojans to only five more across the final six frames.
 
Reliever Rachel Rigney suffered the loss for Troy after giving up one run (earned) on one hit with two hits in a brief appearance in the final frame. Starter Ashley Rainey was replaced after giving up the one-out single to Harris. Rainey went 6 1/3 innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
 
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).