(Game 2) Box Score - Louisiana-Lafayette 4, South Alabama 2.pdf
(Game 3) Box Score - Louisiana-Lafayette 9, South Alabama 4.pdf
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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team (19-12, 2-7 SBC) dropped a pair of games Sunday afternoon to No. 17/20 Louisiana-Lafayette (23-5, 6-0 SBC) as the Ragin' Cajuns picked up a Sun Belt Conference series sweep at Jaguar Field.

The Jaguars will continue league play with a midweek contest versus in-state rival Troy.  First pitch versus the Trojans is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday night at Jaguar Field.

"I thought we hit the ball well today as we had 11 hits in game three against a quality pitching staff," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said.  "I'm happy to see our hitting starting to come around.  I thought our team showed a lot of fight today.  There are some mistakes that we are continuing to make that we can't afford to keep making, but at the same time we are fighting, so I think that is something that we can get behind going forward.  I think we gave ourselves something to work off of as we head into this week and if we maintain that effort and competitiveness, then I think things will come together for us."

SATURDAY'S SUSPENDED GAME: NO. 17 LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 4, SOUTH ALABAMA 2
In a continuation of Saturday's suspended game, the Ragin' Cajuns picked up a two-run victory over the Jaguars in the first action of the day with a 4-2 win.

Alex Stewart (9-3) picked up the win for ULL allowing just two runs on three hits in her seven innings of work, while striking out nine and not giving up a walk.

DJ Sanders provided most of the offense for Louisiana-Lafayette in the win as she was 3-for-3 at the plate – two home runs – with two runs scored and three RBI.  

Kaleigh Todd, Megan Harris and Abby Krzywiecki recorded South's three hits in the contest.  Destin Vicknair (9-5) took the loss for the Jags and allowed four runs on eight hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.

UL-Lafayette took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Sanders took a 2-2 pitch from Vicknair and homered to straight-away center field – her 14th home run of the season.

The Ragin' Cajuns added two more runs an inning later after quickly loading the bases with a pair of hit and a four-pitch walk by Kara Gremillion.  The first run of the inning came when Sanders drove in her second run of the game with a RBI single through the left side of the infield, plating Kelli Martinez who had reached on an infield single to start the inning.  One batter later, Vicknair and USA looked as if it might get out of the inning allowing just the one run.  Daniella Chavez grounded a ball back up the middle that was fielded by Todd at second, who attempted to turn two on the play.  Chavez though was ruled to have beat the throw to first, allowing Gremillion to score and extend ULL's lead out to 3-0.

For the second time in the game, Sanders led off an inning with a home run – this one to left field – as she opened up the sixth with her 15th long ball of the spring on a 2-2 pitch, extending the ULL lead to 4-0.

USA would get a run in each of its final two at-bats.  Krzywiecki blasted a solo shot deep over the wall in the home half of the sixth – her second home run of the season and first since Feb. 11 – to put the Jags on the scoreboard.  

In the seventh, Harris tripled to the gap in left center and then came home on a sacrifice fly to left by Foster, cutting the deficit in half at 4-2.  Stewart though would settle down and record the final two outs of the contest to seal the win for the Ragin' Cajuns.  

SUNDAY'S GAME: NO. 17 LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 9, SOUTH ALABAMA 4
In the series finale, South Alabama trailed by five, but pulled within a run, before Louisiana-Lafayette scored four runs over the final two innings to take a 9-4 victory and clinch the series sweep.

South Alabama out-hit ULL in the finale, 11-10.

Devin Brown (9-6) took the loss for the Jaguars as she allowed five earned runs on five hits, three walks and one strikeout in 3.1 innings of work.  Chandler Sparkman also gave up four earned runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out two.
Offensively, USA had four players finish the contest 2-for-4 at the plate – Todd, Harris, Minahan and Vicknair.  Todd scored twice, while Harris and Vicknair – making her first start in the designated player role – also scored a run, and Minahan drove in a pair.

The Ragin' Cajuns were led by Gremillion, Hayden and Sanders, who each had two hits apiece.  Gremillion, Hayden and Aleah Craighton scored twice, while the latter also drove in two and walked two times.   Sanders drove in a game-high four runs and finished the series with 6-for-11 (.545/1.545/.545) with two doubles, three home runs, 17 total bases and seven RBI.

Stewart – who went the distance in game two of the series – entered in relief for the Ragin' Cajuns and picked up the win after allowing just two hits in three scoreless innings of work.  Stewart struck out five and improved to 10-3 on the spring.

ULL took a 1-0 lead on in its half of the second on Beth Ashley's one-out home run to left – her third of the season and the visitor's fourth of the series – on pitch from Brown.

UL-Lafayettte loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit in its next at-bat as Gremilion was hit by Brown's first pitch of the inning and Hayden and Craighton both walked on five pitches.  Sanders then continued her stellar day as she lifted a 3-2 pitch from over the wall in left center.  The grand slam was Sander's third home run of the series

South was able to get a pair of runs and threatened to do more in the home half of the third.  Todd and Harris both singled to put runners at the corners and then with one away, Minahan lined a one-out double into the leftfield corner, scoring pair two.  The Jags looked to do more damage, loading the bases after a single by Vicknair and a walk to Krzywiecki, but Alyssa Denham – who entered in relief earlier in the inning – struck out Jaguar pinch hitters Dayla Gulledge and Morgan Lutticken to end the threat and get out of the jam.

USA cut into the Cajun lead with an unearned run the next half inning.  Todd reached on an infield single and moved into scoring position on the play when Gremillion's throw got past Hayden at first.  Harris then moved Todd up a bag with a single through the left side of the infield and Foster's ground out to Sanders at short, allowed Todd to score and trim the deficit to 5-3.

The Jaguars added another run in the fifth to pull within a run (5-4).  Vicknair started the inning off with her second hit of the game – a single to right – and then after moving up to second on a wild pitch, Mayo put runners at the corner with one out after a she dropped in a single behind the bag at second.   Two batters later, MC Nichols lined a ball off Gremillion;s glove at third for an infield single, bringing Vicknair into score and making it a one-run game.

ULL answered back with three runs in the next half inning all coming with two outs.  Gremillion reached on a bang-bang play at first to get things started and then moved to third on Hayden's double down the leftfield line.  With runners at second and third, Sparkman's 2-1 pitch was wild, scoring Gremillion.  Two pitches later, Craighton drove a ball deep over the wall in left center – her seventh of the season – extending the Ragin' Cajuns lead back out to 8-4.

UL-Lafayette added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Abby Sterling recorded a pinch-hit RBI double off the wall in center to score Comeaux, who had walked to begin the inning.

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

—USA—