TROY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team clinched the fourth seed in this year's Sun Belt Conference Championships with a doubleheader sweep of Troy Sunday afternoon at the Troy Softball Complex.

"The two wins for us today were huge from a seeding standpoint," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said.  "I thought we came out and played okay; we can play better than we did today.  I would like to see us pick it up a bit and play better team softball heading into the tournament than what we played today.  

"We did what we needed to to get the job done.  I thought both Devin (Brown) and Destin (Vicknair) pitched very well today and we had some good defensive plays behind them.  We need to string together a few more quality at-bats and in the second game, I thought we did a better job of that.  I just want to see us being aggressive as we head into the tournament; competing and playing team softball."

South Alabama (33-18, 15-12 SBC) will now begin preparation for the league tournament to be hosted by Troy University May 10-13 at the Troy Softball Complex.  USA will face the winner of No. 8 Coastal Carolina/No. 5 Texas-Arlington who will play at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

The full tournament bracket will be released later Sunday evening. For more information, check out the Sun Belt's website here.

GAME ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 2, TROY 0
In the opener, South scored runs in the third and fourth innings and junior right-hander Devin Brown made them hold up as the Jaguars earned a 2-0 victory over Troy.

Brown went the distance and recorded her 11th shutout of the season as she scattered five hits and struck out 10 – her seventh double-figure strike out game of the season.  Brown retired nine-straight Trojan batters at one point during the contest.

Kaleigh Todd was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in one, while also stealing her 19th base of the season.  Savanna Mayo was responsible for the other Jaguar run as she registered her fifth home run.

Clair Graves took the lost and dropped to 8-11, allowing two runs on seven hits in her seven innings of work.  Katie Webb paced Troy at the plate as she was 3-for-4.

The Jaguars got on the board first and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on Todd's RBI single scoring Megan Harris who had tripled to lead off the inning.  USA threatened to do more damage loading the bases after hits from Haleigh Lowe and Kristian Foster and a full count walk by Amanda Minahan with one out, but Graves got Katelyn Gruich swinging and Dayla Gulledge to fly out to center to end the frame.

In the fourth, Mayo extended South's lead to 2-0 as the sophomore third baseman led the inning off with a solo shot down the leftfield line on a 2-2 pitch from Graves.

The Trojans would threaten to get on the scoreboard in each of their final two at-bats, but Brown would have the answer and get the needed out.

After allowing the Trojans just one hit through the first five innings, Troy's best scoring opportunity came in the sixth loading the bases on singles by Webb and Madeline Porter and a hit-by-pitch by Kaylee Hussey.  The bags would be left full as Brown recorded her 10th strikeout of the contest, getting Grace Mirley swinging to end the frame.

Troy didn't go quietly in the seventh as Carli Kayler lined a one-out double off the top of the wall in left center and later moved to third on Webb's two-out single to right.  With runners at the corners, Brown was able to get Stephanie Snyder to ground out to Mayo at third to end the contest and preserve the shutout victory.

GAME TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 6, TROY 4
Troy scored all four of its runs over the final two innings and brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but South Alabama held on for the 6-4 win to complete the doubleheader sweep with a the Trojans.

Todd recorded her second multi-hit performance of the day and her team-best 23rd of the season as the junior second baseman was 2-for-5 with a run scored and a career-high three RBI.  Lowe also recorded multiple hits with two singles in her four at-bats.  Four other Jaguars also recorded a hit with Foster and Minahan each driving a run as well.  

Destin Vicknair (14-10) went the distance, allowing four runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts.  

Rachel Brown-Rigney took the loss in her final game as a Trojan, falling to 7-17 on the year.  In her 6.2 innings of work, Brown-Rigney allowed six runs – four earned – on eight hits, while walking four and striking out four.

Synder, Porter and Meg Willis each recorded two hits apiece, while Porter had a pair of RBI and Snyder had one.  Webb also scored two runs and drove in one as well.

After missing out on a scoring chance in the top of the first, the Jaguars erupted for four runs – two earned – on two hits and to take a 4-0.  South Alabama loaded the bases with one away without the benefit of a hit.  Mayo reached on a fielder's choice, Smith was hit-by-pitch and Harris on a Trojan fielding error.  Todd then put South on the board as she lined a triple over Jordan Gray's head in right that rolled all the way to the wall.  Todd raced around the bases and slid into third for her fourth triple of the spring clearing the bases.  After a single by Lowe put runners at the corners, Foster lifted a fly ball to center, which was deep enough to score Todd and make it 4-0.

Jaguars added a run and stretched their lead to 5-0 in the fourth as Minahan doubled down the leftfield line to plate Foster, who had reached on an infield single earlier in the inning.

The Trojans finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the sixth – their first run against the Jaguars this season.  Webb walked on four-straight pitches to begin the inning and then after being moved up to second on a ground out, came around to score on Porter's RBI double to left on a ball Lowe lost the ball in the sun.

USA would get the run back the next half inning.  Abby Krzywiecki and Mayo both walked to start the top half of the seventh and then moved up a base on Smith's sacrifice bunt.  South extended its lead to 6-1 one batter later as Haleigh Lane delivered a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to right, scoring MC Nichols, who had entered the game as a pinch runner for Krzywiecki.

The run would prove to be big as the Trojans mounted a comeback in their final at-bat, scoring three runs on five hits and bringing the winning run to the plate.  Logan Calhoun dropped in a bloop single that fell just inside the leftfield line. Cassidy McDilla then recorded a pinch-hit infield single.  With two outs in the inning, Troy strung together three-straight RBI base hits from Webb, Snyder and Porter.  Porter's double to left – her second in as many at-bats – scored Webb, trimming the Jag lead to 6-4.  With the winning run at the plate, Vicknair was able to get Erica Davis to pop out to Gruich at first to end the game and seal the two-run win.

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—