MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama split its two games Saturday afternoon at the Jaguar Challenge hosted by Springhill Suites, falling 8-3 to Tulsa in the first game of the day, but bouncing back to defeat Mercer 12-8 in the second game.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (4-4) will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to take on No. and defending national champion Florida State. First pitch versus the Seminoles is set for 5 p.m. (CT) at Joanne Graf Field.

Date: 2/16
Place: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)
Tournament: Jaguar Challenge presented by Springhill Suites

Game 1 – South Alabama vs. Tulsa
Final Score: Tulsa 8, South Alabama 3
Records: Tulsa (5-4), South Alabama (3-4)

Box Score

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- Tulsa came out of the gate on fire as Julie Hollingsworth set the tone, tripling off the wall in center on the third pitch of the game. The extra-base hit ignited a three-run first for the Golden Hurricane.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Kennedy Cronan was the lone Jag to finish game one of the day with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and hit her third home run of the season.
- Abby Krzywiecki also added a hit and drove in a pair of runs for South Alabama.
- Holingsworth and Neal each had three hits apiece and scored twice, while the latter also drove in three runs. Two of Hollingsworth's three hits were triples, while Neal added a double.
- Josie Muffley also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI.
- Tulsa starting pitcher Chenise Delce was solid in the circle and also helped herself at the plate. Delce (3-1) went six innings and was 2-for-4 with a run driven in.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- TU recorded five extra base hits, including three triples.
- The Golden Hurricane had a lead off triple in both the first and second innings.
- Six of Tulsa's eight runs were earned and seen came on RBI.
- The top of the Hurricane lineup – Hollingsworth, Neal and Muffley – went a combined 8-for-11 at the plate, scored six runs and drove in five.
- The sixth inning marked the first time that Tulsa was retired in order.
- Tulsa was 6-for-11 (.546) with runners in scoring position.

GAME FACTS
- The Jaguars got off to a shaky start in the opening frame as Tulsa scored three runs on four hits and one South Alabama error. Hollingsworth tripled to the gap in right center on the third pitch of the game and then came around to score the first run for the Golden Hurricane on Neal's RBI single to left. On the play, Neal advanced all the way around to third after an errant throw back into the infield.
- One batter later, TU took a 2-0 lead as Muffley reached on an infield single. The final run of the frame came three batters later as Smith doubled to the gap in right, plating Muffley (3-2).
- South answered back with a run in the bottom half of the opening frame. Cronan continued her hot hitting as she lifted a home run on a 2-2 pitch that just cleared the wall in right and deflected off TU centerfielder Mikalay Whitten's glove.
- Tulsa added to its lead its next time up, this time with a four spot on four hits and another Jaguar error. For the second inning in a row, TU led off with a triple and with one out, Neal delivered Tulsa's fourth extra-base hit of the contest, this one a double to right that scored Whitten. Muffley followed with a RBI single to left center and The Golden Hurricane then added two unearned runs after South's second error of the game extended the inning. Tulsa added a run on the error and then on a RBI single to left by Delce (7-1).
- The Golden Hurricane threatened to score in their half of the third, loading the bases with two outs, but Jag reliever Samantha Yarbrough was able to get a pop out to Savanna Mayo at second to end the frame.
- South got some offense going in the bottom of the fourth. Cronan again provided the spark as she led off the inning with a double to the gap in left, her second extra-base hit in as many at bats. With one away, Katelyn Gruich was hit by a pitch – the 18th time in her career – to put runners at first and second. USA then loaded the bases after Dayla Gulledge's single back up the middle. Krzywiecki came through with the big hit of the inning as she lined a single to left, plating two (7-3).
- Tulsa got a run back in the top of the fifth as Hollingsworth tripled off the wall in center and then came in on Neal's sacrifice fly, making it 8-3.

NOTES
- The meeting versus Tulsa was just second in the all-time series and the first since the two clubs met up at the 2008 LSU Purple and Gold Challenge in Baton Rouge, La.
- The meeting was also the ninth against a current American Athletic Conference member.
- With her first-inning home run, Cronan extended her streak to four consecutive games with an RBI. The home run was also her third in her last four outings.
- Five of Cronan's eight hits this weekend have gone for extra bases – three doubles and two home runs. One more could have gone, but it was a game-ending RBI single in game two on Friday.
- The six-run deficit after two complete marked the largest for the Jaguars to date.
- With her hit-by-pitch, Gruich now has 18 for her career, which is seventh-most on the all-time list.
- The multi-RBI game was the fourth of her career and the second straight outing that she has done so.
- Tulsa's 12 hits marked the most allowed by Jaguar pitching this season.

Game 2 – South Alabama vs. Mercer
Final Score: South Alabama 12, Mercer 8
Records: South Alabama (4-4), Mercer (3-6)

Box Score

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- After Mercer had pulled within two (10-8) and the bases still loaded and only one out, A. Reid was able to get a fielder's choice out at the plate and then a fly out to left to get South Alabama out of the jam.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- South Alabama was led at the plate by Gulledge who had a two-run home run in her only official at-bat, while also drawing three walks, including three bases-loaded free passes. Gulledge ended the night with four RBI and two runs scored.
- Kvistad was 3-for-5 with a two-run home run of her own, also scoring once.
- B. Reid also had a hit, scored twice and walked three times, while Mayo had a two-run home run and three RBI.
- Mercer was paced by Allie Jones' two hits. Jones also scored a run and drove in a run.
- Megan Lane and Abby Walsh also scored twice and reached base twice. Lane had a hit and a walk, while Walsh walked two times.
- Kenlie Harvey recorded her second double of the season and drove in three.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Both teams used three pitchers in the contests, with Bear starter Lynn Gardner (3-1) reentering late in the game.
- A. Reid (2-3) picked up the win in relief as she pitched two innings of hitless ball and striking out a pair.
- During South Alabama's six-run third inning, the Jaguars only had three hits while drawing four walks and two hit batters.
- South drew four bases loaded walks with two coming from Gulledge.
-The two clubs combined for 21 total walks – 13 by South Alabama and eight by Mercer. There were also three batters hit.
- Total time of game was three hours and two minutes, the longest in time this season for the Jaguars.

GAME FACTS
- Mercer loaded the bases in the top of the first with three straight infield singles. The Bears then took a 2-0 advantage one batter later as Danielle Castleberry singled back up the middle, scoring Rood. Sanchez also came around to score on the play when the ball was bobbled in center. MU added to its lead with another RBI single, this one a run-scoring single by Walsh through the right side of the infield, plating Lane (3-0).
- South Alabama starter Jamie Finnical was able to get out of the jam as Walsh lined it to Cronan who snagged it and doubled off the runner at second, and then got Harvey swinging to end the inning.
- South answered back quickly with a four-run bottom half of the opening frame. B. Reid walked on four straight and then with one away, Kvistad drilled a home run deep over the wall in center. Gruich then lined a double down the left field line and with two outs in the frame, came around to score on Gulledge's two-run shot to left. Gulledge had been down in the count early, but battled back to work it full before going yard to make it 4-3.
- Mercer briefly retook the lead (4-3) with a pair of two-out runs in its half of the third. Jones singled back up the middle with two away, and then stole second and advanced to third on a Jag error. Walsh then waked and stole second to put both runners in scoring position. Harvey then provided the big blow as she lined a double down the left field line scoring the two Bears (5-4).
- Again South had the answer and quickly regained the momentum and the lead (6-5) as Mayo recorded another two-run home run for the Jaguars, this one also to left scoring Gulledge who had walked with one out. Harris and B. Reid then earned back-to-back walks and moved to second and third, respectively, on a wild pitch. B. Reid then delivered a two-run double to left scoring Taylor Stevens and Harris, with the latter scoring when Mercer catcher Catie Josselet was called for obstruction. With the bases loaded later in the inning, Krzywiecki and Gulledge each worked walks for the fifth and sixth runs of the inning to give South a 10-5 advantage after three complete.
- Mercer loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth and pushed across three runs, all of the damage done without the benefit of a hit – four walks and two hit batters. Harvey and Shaila Warren each drew walks to score a run for the Bears and Catie Josselet was hit by a pitch from Samantha Yarbrough (10-8). A. Reid entered the game with the Jaguars holding the two-run lead and got Micayla Rood to ground into a fielder's choice pay at the plate and Sanchez to fly out to left to end the inning.
- The Jaguars again responded scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead back out to 12-8. USA loaded the bases and then drew back-to-back walks from Gulledge and Mayo to score Cronan (unearned) and Gruich.

NOTES
- The meeting for South Alabama versus Mercer was the fifth in the all-time series. With the win, USA improves to 5-0 in the series.
- The meeting was the first between the two clubs since the 2012 season.
- It also marked the 14th time South has faced a current Atlantic Sun member. The five meetings versus Mercer are tied – Samford (5) – for the most versus an ASUN opponent by the Jaguars.
- The three home runs by the Jags marked the first time this season the Jaguars have hit multiple home runs in the same game.
- With her HBP, Gruich now has been hit 19 times in her Jaguar career moving her into a three-way time with former Jags Britany Campbell and Haley Hopkins for fifth all-time in the category at South Alabama.
- The home run for Mayo was her first since a solo shot at Troy on May 7, 2017. It was also the eighth of her career.
- All three of South's home runs were two-run shots, and each of the Jags' first four scoring plays were two-run base hits – three home runs and a double.
- Yarbrough entered the game in relief in the top of the fourth and struck out the side. The freshman right hander also entered in relief against Lipscomb on Friday and struck out the side in her first inning of work.
- The 13 walks drawn by the Jaguars set a new school record in the category, surpassing the previous mark of 10 set twice.
- B. Reid and Gulledge each tied or set career highs in walks with three apiece.
- Gulledge also tied a career high in RBI with four, while Mayo set a new personal high mark with three.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the weekend: "I think offensively we took a step forward this weekend. We still have work to do, but I thought we did a better job of grinding out at-bats. Our pitching and defense was up and down, but we will continue to work to get more consistent in those areas"

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—