Box Score - South Alabama 9, Central Arkansas 3.pdf
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MOBILE, Ala. – The Jaguars used a balanced offensive attack with eight players recorded at least one hit as the University of South Alabama softball team opened up the 2017 season Thursday night with a 9-3 victory over Central Arkansas at Jaguar Field.

"I thought there were some real high points and that we did some things really well tonight, and then I thought there were some kind of average moments," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said.  "Obviously, in the first game of the season you want to get that win under your belt and get the jitters out to get going.   You always want to win that game, so it's always good to do that.

"You saw some of our younger kids making some great plays and driving the ball and that's always a good thing.  I thought [Destin] Vicknair was solid on the mound; she really pounded the strike zone.  With it early in the year, we brought Devin [Brown] in to finish it out for her since she doesn't have the innings behind her yet.  Overall, I thought there were some places where we sped some things up and looked good and then there were some other places where we were just ok."

MC Nichols led the way for South Alabama (1-0) as she was 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Kaleigh Todd, Amanda Minahan, Kristian Foster, Haleigh Lane, Kately Gruich, Savanna Mayo and Aly Smith each recorded a hit a piece.  Gruich also scored a pair of runs in the victory.

"I think the good thing for us was we got production out of both the top and the bottom of the lineup.  Our speed kids were speed kids and our power kids drove the ball; they were able to put the ball in some gaps.  We also had timely hitting.  Amanda Minahan really had a great at-bat [in the third] and broke it open for us.  I thought we had some quality at-bats in some places; there were others where we didn't have the approach we needed to have."

The two teams will square off again at 5:30 p.m. on Friday in the Sand Dollar Classic at Jaguar Field.  USA will then host Houston Baptist (12:30 p.m.) and Jacksonville State (5:30 p.m.) on Saturday before closing out the weekend against Alabama State on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Live stats for every game of the Sand Dollar Classic can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com, while only games with the Jaguars competing will be live streamed on JagNation TV.  Fans can purchase tickets Friday-Sunday and that ticket will cover all games played on that particular day.  Tournament seating is $15 for reserved seating and $10 for general admission.

South Alabama threatened in the bottom of the first placing a pair of runners aboard with two away, but the Jags were unable to push across a run.  

Central Arkansas got on the board first in the top of the second on a bloop single by Myers to score Krissy Fontillas who had led the inning off with a double.  Myers' one-out hit dropped in between Todd and Nichols.

South Alabama took the lead for good and broke the game open in the bottom half of the third as the Jaguars erupted for six runs on five hits and were aided by three UCA errors in the inning.  Todd walked on four straight pitches to begin the frame and Nichols then legged out a bunt single.  The pair then advanced up a base when Lowe reached on an error while trying to sacrifice the duo around as UCA third baseman Morgan Felts' throw was high and loaded the bases.  Minahan then laced a two-run single to left to score Todd and Nichols and give the Jaguars a one-run advantage.

Foster followed with an infield single to load the bases for the second time in the inning and Lane delivered a single to right to plate Lowe for USA's third run of the frame.  Gruich followed by reaching on another Bear fielding error, which brought around Foster and Minahan to give South a 5-1 lead.  The Jaguars got their sixth run of the inning when Smith reached on Central Arkansas' third error of the frame, scoring Gruich.

Central Arkansas cut the Jaguar lead in half in its side of the fifth with a pair of unearned runs.  After a one-out walk to Kaylyn Shepherd, who pinch hit for Audrey Pratt, Briana Whisenhunt kept the inning going when she reached on a throwing error by Todd.  Shepherd would score on the next UCA at-bat as Jessie Hoover delivered a sacrifice fly to right.  Brooks then singled to short to drive in Whisenhunt and trim the deficit to 6-3.

South Alabama answered back with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame as they recorded back-to-back-to-back doubles with two outs.  Gruich and Mayo both recorded doubles to center, the later plating Gruich.  Smith then provided a double of her own, this one to left center to score Mayo and extend USA's lead back out to 8-3.

The Bears threatened to rally back in the top of the sixth as they loaded the bases with one away.  South would bring in Brown though and she would end the threat as she recorded a strikeout and a ground out.

The Jaguars added another run in the bottom of the inning as Abby Krzywiecki drove in fellow pinch hitter Megan Harris – who had reached on UCA's fifth error of the game earlier in the frame – giving USA the six-run lead.

Brown pitched a scoreless seventh to seal the win for the Jaguars.

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).

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