LAFAYETTE, La. – The University of South Alabama softball team - seeded sixth - scored two runs in the fifth inning to break a tie and held on to pick up a 3-2 victory over seventh-seeded Georgia Southern, and advance into the double-elimination portion of the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championship held at Lamson Park.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (29-25) now advances into the double-elimination portion of the conference tournament and will take on third-seeded Georgia State later in the day on Wed., with first pitch set for 5:30 p.m.

Date: 5/9
Place: Lamson Park (Lafayette, La.)
Final Score: (6) South Alabama 3, (7) Georgia Southern (6)
Records: South Alabama (29-25, Georgia Southern (28-26

Box Score (PDF)

SCORING PLAYS
-1 Inn. — USA, 1-0 —Kamdyn Kvistad single up the middle (RBI), scoring Brittani Reid from second
-3 Inn. — GS —Mekhia Freeman double to right center, scoring Alesha Mann from first
-5 Inn. — USA, 2-1 —B. Reid sacrifice fly to right (RB), scoring Megan Harris from third
-5 Inn. — USA, 3-1 —Kristian Foster single to center (RBI), scoring Kaleigh Todd from third
-6 Inn. — GS, 3-2 —Allyeah Mullis solo home run to left (RBI)

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
-After the Jags had already scored a run in the fifth, Foster lined a two-out single to center to score Todd, which proved to be the eventual game winner.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
-Todd went 1-for-3 with a run scored, while B. Reid also scored a run and drove in a run.
-Foster and Kvistad also had a hit and drove in a run for the Jaguars, while Hannah Smith had a hit and Harris walked and scored.
-Freeman and Mullis each had a hit and scored a run in their three plate appearances, while the latter also score once.
-Mann was 1-for-2 with a run scored for Georgia Southern.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Georgia Southern starter Kaylee Ramos was pulled after the second pitch of the second inning after being called for her third illegal pitch of the contest.  Kierra Camp (12-10) entered in relief for Ramos.
-Harris' leadoff walk to start the bottom half of the fifth marked the first time that either team had the leadoff batter reach base.
-Devin Brown (18-15) went the distance and allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out four.
- Camp took the loss in relief allowing two runs on three hits.  Camp also struck out five and walked two.
-Two of South Alabama's three runs were scored with two outs.

GAME FACTS
-After a 1-2-3 inning by Brown in the top half of the first frame, South Alabama got on the board firs with a run in the bottom half of the opening inning.  B. Reid drew a one-out walk and moved into scoring position one batter later as she advanced to second on a ground out by Foster.  Ramos looked as if she were going to get out of the inning as Kvistad hit a grounder to short, but the Eagle pitcher was called for her second-straight illegal pitch, allowing Kvistad to stay alive.  With the count full, the Jag freshman lined a single back up the middle, scoring B. Reid to give the Jags the 1-0 advantage.
-Georgia Southern tied the game back up with a run in its half of the third.  Mann reached on a one-out infield single and then came around to tie the game up (1-1) on one batter later when Freeman lined a 2-2 pitch to the gap in right center for a double.  India Davis then walked on five pitches to put runners at first and second, but Brown struck out the next two Eagle batters, getting Hannah Farrell looking on a full count to end the inning.
-The Jaguars retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs.  After getting behind early in the at-bat, Harris worked the count full and drew a leadoff walk.  She then moved into scoring position one batter later on a ground out to second.  Todd followed with a single back up the middle and advanced to second on the play.  B. Reid then lifted a ball to right that was just deep enough to score Harris from third as the Jag left fielder slid home to just beat the tag at the plate.  Todd moved up to third on the play and then came into score on Foster's two-out single to center, giving the Jags a 3-1 lead.
-The Eagles got a run back the next half inning on Mullis's one-out home run to left.  The solo shot was the ninth of the season for Mullis.
-Brown retired Georgia Southern in order in the seventh getting Haley Carter to pop out to Foster at short to end the game.

NOTES
-Prior to the start of the game, it was announced that Jaguar outfielder Haleigh Lowe has been declared ineligible for postseason play.
-The game marked the 11th appearance and the 34th game at the Sun Belt Conference tournament for South Alabama in program history.  
-The win was the 20th Sun Belt Conference tournament win for South Alabama.
-The contest was also the first single-elimination game for the Jags at the league tournament, as well as the first postseason meeting in the series versus Georgia Southern.
- Harris made her first start of the season in left field for South Alabama.
-The game played was the 211th of Todd's career, moving her into a tie for fifth with former Jag Kaitlyn Griffith on the Jags' all-time list in that category.
-The start was the 186th of Foster's career, moving her into a three-way tie for ninth on the program's all-time list.
-The RBI was the 108th of Foster's career, moving her into a tie with Haley Hopkins for sixth on the career list.
-The game-winning RBI for Foster was her fourth this season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- Opening statement: "??I was really proud of our kids today.  I think it was a great team-effort.  I saw a lot of good stuff from them all the way around.  We were able to do the little things.  MC [Nichols] wasn't able to get the bunt down, but she stood in there and battled to move the runner over in the fifth so we had a chance to score [Megan] Harris.  Doing the little stuff is what this time of the year is about.  It's not always going to be perfect, but you have to find a way to stand in there and fight   Overall we did that."
- On Devin Brown's experience helping her today: "Going into today, we knew we had to win the first game in order to advance.  Having Devin's experience on the mound was very important to us.  I know what I'm going to get out of her and if she doesn't have her good stuff, we can go to something else and make the adjustment.  Today was a good day for her from the perspective that she didn't have her best stuff, but she was still able to keep Georgia Southern off balance."
- On team digging in late: "They don't want to go home, they want to keep playing.  They know they are talented and know that they have a chance to compete in this tournament.  It's that time of year where you dig in or you go home.  We have some gritty kids, some talented kid and some competitive kids.  They want to keep playing softball and don't want their season to be over."

Kristian Foster
- On getting the win: "Being able to get the win today was huge for us.  I know there were some jitters for us coming into the game with it being a single-elimination game, but getting the win should give us some momentum heading into the game against Georgia State later today."
- On grit displayed by the team: "When you get to this point of the season, it comes down to who is going to go out there and get after it.  For the most part, we did that today.  We were able to grit-out at-bats and not just one player did everything.  We were able to get contributions from everyone.  "
- On her at-bat in the fifth: "One thing we have talked about when we are in those types of situations is to not put any more pressure one ourselves than we need to.  I just told myself when I stepped into the box that 'I don't have to do anything special, I just have to have a good at-bat.'  That sets both myself and my teammates up for success.  I just let my eyes work and my hands work."

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).

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—