MOBILE, Ala. – After opening the 2019 on the road, the University of South Alabama softball team returns home this weekend to host the Jaguar Challenge. The Jags will play a pair of games (Lipscomb and North Dakota) on Friday and a pair of games (Tulsa and Mercer) on Saturday.
GAMES: 5 – 8 | JAGAUR CHALLENGE (Presented by Springhill Suites)
Feb. 15-17, 2019 | Mobile, Ala. | Jaguar Field
South Alabama – Jaguar Challenge Schedule
Friday – South Alabama vs. Lipscomb – 4:15 p.m.
Friday – South Alabama vs. North Dakota – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday – South Alabama vs. Tulsa – 11:15 a.m.
Saturday – South Alabama vs. Mercer – 3:45 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Television: None
Radio: None
Live Stats: www.USAJaguars.com
Live Stream: JagNationTV (All Games except Sat., vs. Mercer)
(In-Game Updates) Twitter: @WeAreSouth_SB
South Alabama JAGUARS
Record: 1-3, 0-0 SBC
Team Slash (AVG / SLG / OBP): .206 / .294 / .270
Lipscomb BISONS
Record: 3-2, 0-0 ASUN
Team Slash (AVG / SLG / OBP): .300 / .414 / .349
North Dakota FIGHTING HAWKS
Record: 1-4, 0-0 Summit
Team Slash (AVG / SLG / OBP): .258 / .348 / .340
Tulsa GOLDEN HURRICANE
Record: 2-3, 0-0 AAC
Team Slash (AVG / SLG / OBP): .183 / .226 / .275
Mercer BEARS
Record: 2-3, 0-0 SoCON
Team Slash (AVG / SLG / OBP): .260 / .386 / .322
SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
– South Alabama (1-3, 0-0 SBC) enters its first home tournament after opening up the 2019 season this past weekend at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala.
– At the Sand Dollar Classic, the Jags fell to Missouri State (4-0), Louisiana Tech (2-0) and Western Kentucky (7-3), but defeated Tennessee State, 9-1 in six innings on Saturday.
– The four games this weekend open up a stretch for the Jaguars in which they will play nine of 10 on their home field. The lone road contest during that stretch will be in Tallahassee, Fla., against defending national champion Florida State (Feb. 20).
– The Jaguar Challenge will be the first of two straight home tournaments as South will also host the Mardi Gras Invitational next weekend (Feb. 22-25).
– Offensively, junior outfielder/designated player Brittani Reid went 4-for-11 (.364) with a walk and a hit-by-pitch over the weekend, recording a double and a triple to go along with two RBI.
– Taylor Stevens started all four games behind the plate and posted a .333 average, recording her first collegiate hit against TSU and her first double against Louisiana Tech.
– Stevens was also outstanding in the field, making several defensive plays to keep possible runs off the board.
– Senior RHP Alexis Reid finished the weekend with a 1.84 earned run average and eight strikeouts in three outings.
– A. Reid made two starts in the circle and on Sunday recorded five innings of one-hit, scoreless ball facing the minimum number of batters.
SCOUTING THE BISONS
– Lipscomb (3-2, 0-0 ASUN) comes into the Jaguar Challenge after opening the 2019 campaign at the Cowgirl Classic last weekend in Sulfur, La.
– The Bisons opened the tournament with a pair of shut out wins over Campbell and Samford. Following a loss to No. 14 Arkansas, LU bounced back with a 6-1 win on Saturday over tourney host McNeese State. Lipscomb fell 4-3 on Sunday to the Cowgirls.
– Freshman Katie Turner was named the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA over the weekend in her first collegiate action.
– Turner recorded a complete-game shutout over Samford, allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out nine strikeouts in the 7-0 win over the Bulldogs.
– She followed that performance with another complete game outing in the five-run victory over McNeese State.
– Turner has also shown to be a threat offensively as she had five hits, three doubles and four RBI in nine trips to the plate.
– Her .536 batting average leads the club while her four runs driven in are tied for most on the team.
– Jordan Fortel (.438) and Peyton Ward (.412) also got off to solid offensive starts.
– Along with Turner, the duo has combined to register eight of Lipscomb's 13 doubles.
– As a team, the Bisons are hitting .300 with 42 hits and 25 runs scored.
THE SERIES VS. LIPSCOMB
– South Alabama and Tulsa have met six other times in the all-time series with the Jags taking all of those meetings (6-0).
– The two clubs have met on a neutral field three times in the all-time series.
– The last meeting in the series came during the 2016 season at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala., where the Jaguars picked up a 7-3 victory.
– Lipscomb has been held to either one or two runs in five of those previous six series meetings. The 2016 series meeting is the only game in which the Bison have eclipsed two runs.
– South Alabama is averaging 5.33 runs per game in the series and hold a 32-10 scoring advantage.
RECAPPING THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Feb. 12, 2016 – No. 25 South Alabama used a big seventh inning to cap its 7-3 victory over Lipscomb to start the 2016 Sand Dollar Classic, hosted by The Fieldhouse at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
– Emily Messer led USA at the plate (4-for-5) and reached base all five of her plate appearances. Seven Jaguars combined for 10 hits, while freshmen Megan Harris and Haleigh Lane recorded a pair of RBI apiece.
– South took the early lead with single runs in the second and third on RBI singles from Messer and Haleigh Lowe, respectively, while the Jags doubled their lead in the fourth on a two-run single from Megan Harris.
– Lipscomb pieced together a three-spot in the fifth frame – aided by the first of three Jaguar errors.
– The Jaguars then posted three runs in the seventh to extend their lead for the final margin. USA got a pair of unearned runs to start the frame on Haleigh Lane's two-run single, and then added another unearned run on a RBI bunt single from Kaleigh Todd.
SOUTH AGAINST THE ASUN
– South Alabama has met a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference 16 previous times.
– The Jaguars hold a 15-1 (.938) record against ASUN members.
– South Alabama last faced a member from the Atlantic Sun last season.
– South's six games against Lipscomb are the most against an ASUN member.
– USA has also faced Kennesaw State (3), Jacksonville (2), Stetson (2) and USC-Upstate (2), and North Florida (1).
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING HAWKS
– North Dakota (1-4, 0-0 Summit) opened 2019 over the weekend at the Marucci Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev.
– While the Fighting Hawks recorded just one win, the 2-1 victory came at the expense of Long Beach State, who was ranked 25th coming into the season.
– NDU has four players batting .400 or better after the opening weekend of action.
– Angel Love leads the team with a .438 average to go along with her four runs scored and team-best three doubles.
– Victoria Minor had five hits in her 12 at-bats over the weekend for a .417 clip and drove in four runs.
– Lyndsay Hathaway is also hitting .400 after four games played.
– In the circle, North Dakota comes into the tourney with a 6.70 team earned-run average.
– Opponents are hitting .313 at the plate and have allowed 15 extra-base hits.
THE SERIES VS. NORTH DAKOTA
– This will be the first meeting between the two programs in the all-time series.
SOUTH AGAINST THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
– South Alabama has only faced two other current Summit League members: North Dakota State (2) and Fort Wayne (1).
– The Jaguars are 2-1 in those three previous meetings.
– North Dakota is the lone Summit League member that the Jaguars are scheduled to face during the 2019 season.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN HURRICANE
– Tulsa (2-3, 0-0 AAC) enters play this weekend after beginning the season at the Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, La.
– The Golden Hurricane lost the first three games of the tournament with two of those coming to No. 11 LSU, but they closed out with shut out wins over Iowa (3-0) and Bucknell (1-0).
– TU head coach John Bargfeldt earned his 500th career victory over the weekend.
– Bargfeldt is the winningest coach in Tulsa history and has led the Golden Hurricane to a winning record in all 13 of his seasons at the helm, including six regular-season conference titles, seven conference postseason crowns and 10 NCAA Regional appearances.
– Julia Hollingsworth has been the main offensive weapon throughout the young season.
– The senior outfielder is hitting .533 with eight hits, three runs scored and has recorded 10 total bases.
– As a team though, Tulsa is just hitting .183 as the next highest average among regulars in the lineup is .286.
– The Hurricane pitching staff has a similar statistical extreme as the staff holds a 6.55 ERA, while Chenise Delce (1-1) enters play with a 0.47 ERA.
– Delse holds a 4-1 strikeout-walks ratio, and has struck out 16 in her 15 innings of work.
THE SERIES VS. TULSA
– South Alabama and Tulsa have met just one other time with that meeting coming back during the 2008 season, just the second season of the program's existence.
– The Golden Hurricane defeated the Jaguars 3-2 in eight innings at the LSU Purple and Gold Challenge.
RECAPPING THE LAST TIME THEY MET
March 1, 2008 – In the first and only meeting in the series between the two clubs, South Alabama rallied with a pair of seventh-inning runs to send the game to extra innings, but Tulsa scored a run in the bottom of the eighth at the LSU Purple and Gold Challenge.
– Tulsa took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth on a Jaguar wild pitch and a RBI fielder's choice, but South tied the game up with a pair of unearned runs which scored on a Hurricane throwing error.
– TU then earned the victory on Sara Dyer's walk-off single to right center, scoring Lauren Lindsay from second.
SOUTH AGAINST THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC
– South Alabama has faced a current American Athletic Conference member eight previous times.
– South is 3-5 in those previous meetings versus AAC opponents.
– The Jaguars last faced an AAC member during the 2016 season when they dropped a 3-0 decision to Wichita State
– Tulsa is the lone AAC member that the Jaguars are scheduled to face during the 2019 season.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
– Mercer (3-3, 0-0 SoCon) opened up the 2019 campaign at home hosting the Mercer Invitational over the weekend.
– The Bears split a pair of games each with Rutgers and Army over the first two days of the tournament, before falling 15-0 in five innings.
– Mercer defeated Sun Belt Conference member Georgia Southern, 5-4, in Macon, Ga., on Wednesday.
– Shalia Warren raised her average to .500 after going 3-for-4 against the Eagles. Warren also scored twice and drove in a pair in the victory.
– Catie Josselet also enters the tourney with a .385 batting average, while Danielle Castleberry and Abby Walsh are each hitting .353.
– Josselet's four doubles also top the club, while Walsh has driven in four.
– As a staff, Mercer enters the weekend with a 4.55 earned run average, a .287 opponent's batting average and has allowed eight home runs.
– Freshman Lynn Gardner leads the Bears in the circle as she is 3-0 on the year with a 1.67 ERA.
– Gardner – who is a Mobile, Ala., native and played her prep ball at UMS-Wright – has been the pitcher of record in all three of MU's victories and didn't allow an earned run against Georgia Southern.
THE SERIES VS. MERCER
– South Alabama and Mercer have met four times in the all-time series.
– The Jaguars (4-0) have won all four of those meetings.
– South has recorded two shutouts and holds a 15-3 scoring advantage in the four outings.
– The last time the two teams met came back during the 2012 season in a doubleheader in Mobile.
– This will be the first meeting in the series on a neutral field.
RECAPPING THE LAST TIME THEY MET
April 25, 2012 – The two clubs last met during the 2012 season with South Alabama sweeping a doubleheader at Jaguar Field winning game one 3-0, and game two, 3-1.
GAME 1
– The Jags were led in the circle in the opener by freshman pitcher Farish Beard who went the distance and struck out a career-high 14 batters in her seven innings of work. Beard allowed only three hits in the contest and walked one. Offensively, Brittany Fowler went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in all three runs for South.
– USA went up 2-0 in the bottom of the third with a pair of unearned runs after a Bear error and a passed ball. The Jaguars then scored a single run in their half of the fifth on a RBI single by Fowler.
GAME 2
– After Mercer took a 1-0 advantage on a RBI single in the top half of the opening frame, South Alabama answered back with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.
– Katy Neal went five innings to pick up her seventh win of the season, and Hannah Campbell tossed two hitless innings to earn her second save. Meghan Collins tied the game up as she led off the second with a solo shot to left. USA then retook the lead for good an inning later on a RBI ground out to short from Alyssa Linn, while Haley Hopkins added an insurance run in the next frame with a two-out solo home run off the scoreboard in left center.
– The Bears tried to rally in the top of the fifth loading the bases with a pair of two-out walks and a single, but Britany Campbell made a diving catch in center field to end the inning and the Mercer threat.
SOUTH ALABAMA AGAINST THE SOCON
– South Alabama has faced a current Southern Conference member 13 previous times.
– The last time the Jags faced a SoCon member came during the 2016 season when they fell 8-5 in Mobile to Samford.
– Samford (5), Mercer (4) and Chattanooga (4) are the only members from the league that the Jaguars have faced during the program's history.
– Mercer is the lone member from the Southern Conference that South is scheduled to face during the regular season.
JAGUARS AT THE JAGUAR CHALLENGE
– This will mark the first time that South Alabama has hosted the Jaguar Challenge.
THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On building off the opening weekend of action: "We have to own the good and the bad from last weekend. I thought there were bright spots all weekend, we just never sustained them. We know we are better than we played so this week of practice has been a chance for us to get back where we need to be fundamentally and move forward. It comes down to taking care of the little things and being mentally consistent."
- On playing nine of the next 10 at home: "I never felt like we settled in this past weekend and I think that being able to play on our home field and have our normal routine will help with that aspect. I look forward to this stretch of our season because we get so many opportunities to play in front of our home crowd. We have such great support from our fans so to be able to play in front of our home crowd is a huge boost for us."
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSout_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.
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