Box Score - South Alabama 6, Coastal Carolina 1.pdf
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MOBILE, Ala. – Junior right-hander Devin Brown recorded her 11th compete game of the season and the University of South Alabama softball team scored four runs over the final two innings to help clinch the series win over Coastal Carolina as the Jags picked up a 6-1 win Sunday afternoon at Jaguar Field.
"In Sun Belt Conference every single game is huge and for us to bounce back from a disappointing loss yesterday and get it done today was huge," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said. "I always think Sunday is about grit, determination and just how tough you're going to be. It's really about who's going to out-grit the other. I thought our kids really fought and played hard. Devin battled in the circle and for her to us seven innings against a good Coastal Carolina offense and only give up one run was really good. She had some good defensive help behind her. [Amanda] Minahan made some plays in the outfield, but all the way around the defense really backed her up for the most part. Devin gritted it out. I thought our offense hung in there got us the big hit when we needed it."
South Alabama (19-8, 2-4 SBC) will briefly head back out on the road for a midweek contest at regional rival Southern Mississippi on Wednesday night. First pitch versus the Golden Eagles is set for 6 p.m. at the Southern Miss Softball Complex in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Brown improved to 9-4 with the win and in her seven innings of work, she scattered seven hits and had CCU leave nine runners on base, while striking out three.
The top of the Jaguar line up was solid in Sunday's finale as they combined for six of South's 11 hits and also walked four times. Leading the way was Kaleigh Todd who was 3-for-4 at the plate – her third three-hit performance and 12th multi-hit outing of the season – with two runs scored. MC Nichols was also 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, while Kristian Foster had a hit and drove in three.
Todd and Mayo ended the weekend a combined 10-for-14.
Haleigh Lowe reached all four of her plate appearances, recording a double and three walks, while Aly Smith had two RBI and Savanna Mayo recorded one.
Coastal Carolina (21-7, 1-4 SBC) was led at the plate by Taty Forbes who was 4-for-4 on the day and scored the Chants' lone run. Forbes entered the weekend leading the Sun Belt in batting average and she finished the series with seven hits.
Ashley Guillette (6-3) took the loss and lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, seven walks and two runs. Devin Wallace and Taylor Rahach also pitched in relief, each allowing two runs.
South had an excellent opportunity to get on the board in the first inning as the Jaguars loaded the bases following a leadoff single by Todd and walks to Nichols and Lowe, but as was the case yesterday, Guillette was able to get out of the jam as she got Mayo to pop out to short to end the frame.
The Chants loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second without the benefit of a hit – hit by pitch and two walks – but Brown was able to get out of the inning as she got Angela Buccilli to fly out to centerfield.
South Alabama loaded the bases for the second time in as many innings in the home half of the second. Morgan Lutticken – making her first career start – singled to right with one out and after a strikeout, Todd walked on four straight and Nichols singled back up the middle to put a Jag runner at every base. Foster then worked the count full and drew a walk to score Marissa Landrum – who had pinch ran for Lutticken – giving USA the early 1-0 advantage.
The Jaguars loaded the bases for the third time in the bottom of the fourth as Todd and Nichols both reached on infield singles and Lowe drew a two-out walk. Mayo then took Guillette's 2-2 pitch back up the middle to score Todd and make it 2-0.
Coastal finally cracked through with a run in its half of the fifth as Amanda Daneker singled to left, scoring Forbes from second, cutting the Jag lead in half (2-1).
USA was able regain the momentum and gain some breathing room over its final two at-bats, recording a pair of two-run innings in the fifth and sixth.
With one away in the fifth, Megan Harris reached on a pinch-hit infield single and Todd then followed with a chopper of her own to place a pair of runners on for Nichols. The Jag right fielder then walked on four-straight setting the table for Foster. The Jag shortstop then lined a single down the leftfield line to bring in Harris and Todd and make it 4-1.
In the sixth, the Jaguars came up with another big two-out hit as Smith tripled to the gap in right-center, scoring Lowe and Destin Vicknair. Lowe dropped in a double in left-center to lead off the inning and then Vicknair walked on four consecutive balls from Rahach.
"That's what we've been working on and talking about. We talk about when it's my turn, I'm going to get it done," Clark said of the two-out late-inning hitting. "There were some places early on when we were leaving runners on and we'd like to see us get that hit earlier, but they hung in there and kept battling and got it."
Two got on in the seventh for Coastal, but Brown was able to get Timi Tooley to fly out to Amanda Minahan in center to end the game – her seventh putout of the contest.
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).
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear. All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub
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