KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The University of South Alabama cut its deficit to two in the bottom of the fourth, but No. 22 Minnesota used a five-run fifth to retake momentum and eventually pick up a 13-3 win during the opening day of the Diamond 9 Citrus I Classic held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

UP NEXT
-The Jaguars will take on No. 24 South Carolina at 2:30 p.m. (CT) and Louisville at 4 p.m. (CT) tomorrow on day two of the Diamond 9 Citrus I Classic.

Box Score (PDF)
Date: 2/23
Place: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Kissimmee, Fla.)
Final Score: No. 22/22 Minnesota 13, South Alabama 3
Records: Minnesota (7-4), South Alabama (6-6)

SCORING PLAYS
-1 Inn. — Minn., 1-0 — Makenna Partain home run to right (RBI)
-2 Inn. — USA, 1-1 — Abby Krzywiecki home run to left center (RBI)
-3 Inn. — Minn., 3-1 — Sydney Dwyer single to right (2 RBI), scoring Partain and Danielle Parlich (unearned)
-4 Inn. — Minn., 4-1 — Parlich single to left (RBI), scoring Alex Velazquez
-4 Inn. — Minn., 5-1 — Kendyl Lindaman sacrifice fly to center (RBI), scoring Ellee Jensen
-4 Inn. — USA, 5-2 — Kamdyn Kvistad single up the middle (RBI), scoring Krzywiecki
-4 Inn. — USA, 5-3 — Kaleigh Todd single up the middle (RBI) scoring Lyric Cabral
-5 Inn. — Minn., 6-3 — Maddie Houlihan scores on a wild pitch
-5 Inn. — Minn., 8-3 — Partain singles up the middle (2 RBI), scoring Houlihan and Erika Rozell
-5 Inn. — Minn., 10-3 — Parlich double down the right field line (2 RBI), scoring Carlie Brandt and Jensen
-7 Inn. — Minn., 11-3 — Parlich singles through the right side (RBI), scoring Jensen
-7 Inn. — Minn., 13-3 — Lindamann home run to left center (2 RBI), scoring Parlich and Lindaman

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
-After the Jaguars had cut the deficit to two with a run in the fourth, Minnesota erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth to break the game open and extend its lead out to 10-3.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
-Kvistad was 2-for-2 at the plate and reached all three of her plate appearances for South Alabama also drawing a walk to go along with her RBI
-Kristian Foster also recorded a multi-hit game in the loss as she was 2-for-3 on the night with a run scored.
-Krzywiecki also scored two of South's three runs to go along with her home run.
-Partain and Parlich – Minnesota's one- and two-hole hitters – combined to go 6-for-9, score five runs and drive in seven at the top of the order.  Partain (3 runs scored, 3 RBI) also had a stolen base, while Parlich (2 runs scored and 4 RBI) had a double.
-Eight of Minnesota's nine starters in the lineup had at least one hit.
-Amber Fiser (5-2) earned the win in the circle for the Gophers and Brand pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn her first save.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Partain's home run came on the second pitch of the game.
-Partain reached on each of her first four plate appearances – three singles and a walk.
-Minnesota scored at least on run in five of their six innings at the plate.
-The Golden Gophers scored their five runs in the fifth on four hits.
-The sixth inning was the lone inning in which neither team scored in the contest.
-Minnesota loaded the bases four times in three separate innings and was 8-for-21 (.381) with runners in scoring position.
-Carlie Brandt saw action at three different position during the game for Minnesota as she started at short, moved to designated player and then entered the game in the fifth inning as pitcher.
-South Alabama was retired in order four times in the contest including two of its final three at-bats, while the Jags didn't record a 1-2-3 inning.

GAME FACTS
-Partain quickly put the Golden Gophers on the board first as she drove the second pitch of the game over the wall in right.
-South Alabama answered back an inning later and tied the contest up on Krzywiecki's home run to right center, which came after working the count full.
-Minnesota retook the lead in the top of the third with a pair of runs, one earned.  Partain (single) and Parlich (error) reached with one out and then with the bases loaded after a walk to Lindaman, Dwyer dropped in a single in shallow right to plate two and give UM the 3-1 advantage.
-The Gophers added two more runs in the fourth.  After loading the bases for the second time in the game, Parlich singled to left to score Velazquez who had singled to lead the inning off.  Lindaman followed with a sac fly to center, plating Jensen.
-The Jaguars began to climb their way back, scoring a pair of runs in the fourth to trim the deficit to two at 5-3.
-Krzywiecki walked to begin the Jags' half of the fourth and USA then followed with three-straight singles up the middle from Cabral, Foster and Kvistad, the last bringing Krzywiecki into score.  Three batters later, Todd recorded South's fourth single up the middle to bring in Cabral.
-Minnesota reclaimed the momentum the next half inning with a five-run fifth.  Houlihan (HBP) and Rozell (single) reached to begin the frame.  Houlihan move up to third and then came into score on a wild pitch.  Minnesota loaded the bases three batters later and Partain brought in a pair with a single to center, making it 8-3.  Parlich then doubled down the right field line to plate the final two runs of the inning.
-The Gophers added their final three runs in the seventh as Parlich singled through the right side to drive in Jensen.  Parlich then came into score on Lindaman's two-run shot over the wall in left center.

NOTES
-The solo home run allowed by South's Devin Brown (4-3) in the top of the first marked the first given up by the senior right-hander this season.  
-It also marked the second straight game in which the Jags have given up a first-inning home run to the opposition.
-Krzywiecki's solo shot in the second was her second of the season, matching her total from 2017.  
-After not recording a home run in their first eight games, the Jaguars have now had a home run in three of their last four.
-Two of South Alabama's three home runs this season have led off an inning.  Brittani Reid had a home run to begin the fifth inning against Murray State.
-The multi-hit game was the 26th of Foster's career, moving her past Kaitlyn Griffith and into a tie for 15th with Julie Moss on the program's career list.
-The multi-hit game was the second of the season for Kvistad.
-The Gophers stole four bases in the contest, which are the most by an opponent to date versus South Alabama.  Illinois previously held the high with three.  Minnesota was 4-for-4 in its steal attempts.
-The 13 runs allowed marked just the second time in program history that South Alabama has given up double digits in back-to-back games as USA allowed 14 runs to Florida State in its last outing.  The only other time that South has allowed double digits to an opponent in consecutive games was in a Sun Belt Conference series to Louisiana on April 9-10 during the 2011 season.  The Ragin' Cajuns scored 13 and 10 runs in those contests.
-Haleigh Lowe made her first start of the season in left against the Golden Gophers.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
-On the game tonight: "I thought Minnesota out-played us and out-executed us.  They're a good, well-coached team and when you play those types of teams, you have to execute.  I didn't think we got the job done tonight on the mound or at the plate.  One bright spot from the game was that I thought we made some great defensive plays during the game.  We play these types of teams to see the spots where we need to get better.  If we take the things from this game the right way, it can be a good learning experience for us."
-On tomorrow's two games: "We're going to face two good teams tomorrow and that's why we came down here.  We are going to have to play winning ball against them tomorrow.  There are certain things you have to do in order to be successful when you play anybody, let alone good teams.  I didn't thing we played the game tonight against Minnesota very well.  Other than the defensive highlights, I thought our at-bats were average and that we were average on the mound.  We will look to take a step forward with that tomorrow.  We know that we are going to be playing two good teams and that we need to step it up."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_Jags. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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