STARKVILLE, Miss. – The University of South Alabama softball team dropped a pair of games Saturday at the February Freezer hosted by Mississippi State at Nusz Park.

The Jaguars (4-3) fell 4-1 to Murray State (3-4) in their first game of the day, and then gave up four runs in the bottom of the sixth to drop a 6-3 decision to the host Bulldogs.

UP NEXT
-Due to Mississippi State's game versus Drake being rained out on Saturday, the tournament schedule had to be adjusted.  South Alabama will now take on Drake in game one Sunday at 9 a.m.   Mississippi State will then face Drake at 11 a.m. and the Jaguars will close out the tournament at 1 p.m. against Murray State.

Box Score (PDF)

Date: 2/17
Place: Nusz Park (Starkville, Miss)

GAME 1 – South Alabama vs. Murray State
Final Score: Murray State 4, South Alabama 1
Records: South Alabama (4-2), Murray State (3-4)

SCORING PLAYS
-1 Inn. — USA, 1-0 — Kristian Foster double to center (RBI), scoring Harris from second (unearned)
-5 Inn. — MSU, 1-1 — Lexi Jones solo home run to left
-5 Inn. — MSU, 3-1 — Sierra Gilmore double to center (2 RBI), scoring Erika Downey and Brenna Finck.
-5 Inn. — MSU, 4-1 — Madison Culver single to center (RBI), scoring Gilmore

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
-South Alabama loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second, but Racer starting pitcher Haven Campbell was able to induce back-to-back fielder's choice outs at the plate and then get a pop out to second to end the scoring threat.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
-Lyric Cabral was the lone Jag to record multiple hits against the Racers as she was 2-for-3 at the plate.  
-Harris, Foster, Kaleigh Todd, and Abby Krzywiecki each had a hit apiece, while Harris scored South's run on Foster's second RBI of the season.
-Finck was 2-for-3 for Murray State to go along with Gillmore's two RBI.  
-Culver and Jones also drove in a run each.
-Haven Campbell scattered seven Jaguar hits and worked around three Racer errors, to allow just one earned run in her seven innings of work.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-South Alabama had its scoring chances leaving 10 runners on base compared to just four by Murray State.
-The Jaguars had the leadoff batter reach base in four of the first five innings and left nine runners on during that time.
-South was 0-for-3 with the bases loaded in the contest and 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

GAME FACTS
-South Alabama got on the board first with an unearned run in the top half of the opening inning.  After a pair of Racer fielding errors, Foster drove home Harris with a two-out double to center.
-The Jags loaded the bases with no outs on an error and a pair of singles, but Murray State starting pitcher Haven Campbell was able to get back-to-back fielder's choices at the plate and a pop out to short to end the threat.
-The Racers took tied the game up and later took their first lead of the contest with four runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth.  Jones homered to left to lead off the inning and RBI hits by Gilmore (2 RBI) and Culver (RBI).

NOTES
-With her lead off single in the top of the first, Todd recorded the 165th hit of her career, moving her into a tie with former Jag Amanda Minahan for sixth on South Alabama's career list.
-With her single to left in the top of the second, Cabral extended her reached base safely streak to six games.
-Murray State recorded its first hit in the third on Finck's liner back up the middle off A. Reid's glove.
-With her single back up the middle in the fourth, Cabral recorded the first multi-hit game of her career.
-The home run by Jones was the first allowed by Jaguar pitching this season.
-Kvistad also extended her reached base safely streak to five games with a walk.

Box Score (PDF)

GAME 2 – South Alabama at Mississippi State
Final Score: Mississippi State 6, South Alabama 3
Records: Mississippi State (7-1), South Alabama (4-3)

SCORING PLAYS
-1 Inn. — USA, 1-1 — Kaleigh Todd steals third, error on catchers throw to score Todd (unearned)
-1 Inn. — MSST, 2-1 — Kat Moore single to center, scoring Mia Davidson and Sarai Niu
-4 Inn. — USA, 2-2 — Dayla Gulledge pinch-hit bases-loaded walk (RBI), scoring Brittani Reid
-5 Inn. — USA, 3-2 — Lyric Cabral sacrifice fly to right (RBI), scoring Amanda Flynn (pinch runner)
-6 Inn. — MSST, 4-3 —Emily Heimberger single up the middle (2 RBI), scoring  
-6 Inn. — MSST, 5-3 — Mia Davidson triple to right, scoring Heimberger
-6 Inn. — MSST, 6-3 —Throwing error by Foster allows Davidson to score. *Davidson becomes earned one batter later.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
-With one out in the bottom of the sixth and the Bulldogs holding a two-run lead, Davidson tripled to right to drive in a run and then came in on the play after an errant throw to third.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
-Brittani Reid recorded the first multi-hit game of her Jaguar career going 2-for-2 at the plate with a run scored and a walk.
-Todd, Katelyn Gruich and Kamdyn Kvistad also had a hit for South Alabama, while Todd scored a run.
-Along with her base hit, Gruich also walked twice.
-Cabral and Gulledge each drove in a run as well.
-Reggie Harrison and Cadace Denis had two hits each and both scored a run for Mississippi State in the win.
-Heimberger and Moore each had two RBI in the contest, while Davidson scored twice drove in one and reached base twice – hit and a walk.
-Holly Ward (3-1) entered in relief in the fourth inning and over the last three innings, held South Alabama to two hits and a run, while striking out four.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Devin Brown (2-2) recorded six strikeouts in the loss, moving her within five of the program's career mark as she now has 730 for her career.  
-Brown's strikeout of Niu in the third came after a 10-pitch at-bat.
-Both clubs left scoring opportunities on base the combined to leave 17 runners on base.  South Alabama stranded nine, while Mississippi State left eight on the base paths.
-South Alabama had the lead off batter reach base three of its seven innings, while Mississippi State only did so twice.

GAME FACTS
--Todd led off the game with a single for the second-straight contest and later came around to score and MSU catcher Mia Davidson's throw got past the third baseman and went into shallow left.
-In the bottom half of the opening frame, Mississippi State loaded the bases with one out on a single and a pair of hit batters.  With two outs in the frame, Moore delivered a two-run single to center.  On the play, Niu was ruled to have gotten her left hand just under Cabral's tag at the plate.
-South had another scoring opportunity in the second with runners at first and second, but MSU's Williams was able to get Todd swinging.
-The Jaguars tied the game up at 2-2 in the fourth when Gulledge worked the count full and then took a ball outside from MSU reliever Candace Denis for a walk.
-Mississippi State had the first two batters reach – walk and a single – but Brown was able to retire the next three Bulldog batters and maintain the 2-2 game.
-The Jags retook the lead in the top of the sixth when Cabral plated B. Reid on a sacrifice fly.
-The Bulldogs quickly retook the lead with four runs on five hits in the bottom half of the inning.  MSU had its first two batters reach with back-to-back doubles and Hemberger then singled back up the middle off Todd's glove when the Jag second baseman tried to make a stop, scoring a pair of Bulldogs.  Davidson then tripled off the base of the wall in right to tack on another run and came around to score on the play when Foster's throw to third was high.

NOTES
-Todd's stolen base in the first inning gave her 60 for her career, moving her into a tie for second with former Jag Britany Campbell on South's career list.
-Gulledge's walk in the fourth inning marked the second-straight plate appearance in which she has drawn a pinch-hit bases-loaded walk as she also did so against Illinois (2/10).
-The six runs allowed by South Alabama are the most allowed in a game this season.  Prior to that tally, three runs versus Providence and Illinois had been the highest.
-The three runs scored by South Alabama were also the most given up by Mississippi State this season.  In their previous seven outings, the Bulldogs had allowed just two runs total.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
-On today's two games: "Overall, I didn't think we played very well today.  We had opportunities and weren't able to take advantage of them.  We are better than how we played today.  For us, it's very early in the season and we're just trying to iron out some things.  I know that our players will get it.  We just need to continue to work.  Tomorrow is a new day for us so we will regroup and see how we come out tomorrow and if we can take care of some of the things we weren't able to do today."

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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