GULF SHORES, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team dropped a 4-0 decision in its season opener Friday night on the opening day of the Sand Dollar Classic held at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (0-1) will continue play at the Sand Dollar Classic on Saturday when the Jaguars face Tennessee State (Field 1) at 11 a.m. and Louisiana Tech (Field 2) at 2 p.m. at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

Box Score

Date: 2/8
Place: Gulf Shores Sportsplex (Gulf Shores, Ala.)

Final Score: Missouri State 4, South Alabama 0
Records: Missouri State (1-1), South Alabama (0-1)

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- Trailing by two in the bottom of the fifth, South Alabama had runners at second and third with one out, but the Jaguars had a run take off the board when Megan Harris was called out for obstruction what would have been a single off the bat of Victoria Ortiz.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Harris led the Jags at the plate, reaching base all three of her plate appearances. The Jag outfielder was 2-for-2 with a walk and recorded the 14th multi-hit outing and the 12th two-hit game of her career.
- Three other players – Kamdyn Kvistad, Katelyn Gruich, Savanna Mayo – for South were credited with a hit in the loss. Kvistad, Kennedy Cronan and Amanda Flynn also drew walks.
- Kyana Mason led all players with a 3-for-4 showing, while also scoring a run. Kelly Metter reached base safely in three of her four plate appearances, registering a hit, two walks and a RBI.
- Steffany Dickerson was outstanding in the circle and at the plate for the Bears. Dickerson went the distance and recorded 10 strikeouts, while scattering five hits and four walks. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Dickerson got off to a strong start as five of the first six outs she recorded were strikeouts.
- Both teams had several scoring opportunities as they went a combined 7-for-29 with runners in scoring position, and each left eight runners on base.
- The Jaguars had the lead-off batter reach in five of their seven frames.
- Making her first start at second base for South Alabama, Mayo recorded three put outs and eight assists.

GAME FACTS
- Both teams had a chance to break through with a run in the first couple of innings, but each had a runner cut down at the plate.
- In the top of the first, Missouri State placed runners at the corners with one out, and tried to execute a delayed double steal, but the Jaguar defense defended it well as freshman short stop Kennedy Cronan cut the throw to second off and gunned down Mason at the plate.
- In their half of the second, the Jaguars had the first two batters of the frame reach as Kvistad walked to lead things off and Katelyn Gruich lined a single to right to place runners at first and second. Caroline "Pepper" Nichols then came on to pinch run and attempted to score on Savanna Mayo's single to shallow center, but the Jag freshman was thrown out at the plate.
- The Bears took advantage the next half inning, manufacturing a run to break the scoreless tie. Dickerson singled through the left side of the infield to begin the frame. After a sacrifice bunt from Morgan Greenlee, Abi LaValley, who was pinch running for Dickerson, came around to score and give the Bears the 1-0 lead on Metter's single to left.
- Missouri State tacked on another run (2-0) in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Madison Hunsaker scored Mason – who had singled earlier in the inning – from second as she doubled to the gap in left center.
- South had another opportunity to break through with a run in the bottom half of the fifth, as Flynn fouled off four straight pitches and worked a walk to lead things off. Harris then singled to left and the two Jags moved up a base on Nichols' second sacrifice bunt of the contest. Ortiz looked as if she were going to put the Jags on the board as her hit dropped just bend the bag at second, but Harris was called out on the play for obstruction, negating Flynn's run. MSU's Dickerson then induced a fielder's choice to end the frame and the threat.
- Dickerson helped herself out in the sixth as she doubled the Bear advantage with a two-run shot over the fence in center, giving Missouri State a 4-0 lead.
- South Alabama attempted to work some late-inning magic as Cronan walked to lead off the home half of the seventh and with one out, Harris reached on an infield single, but Dickerson posted her ninth and 10th strikeouts of the contest to earn her first victory of the season.

NOTES
- Friday's meeting marked the first in the all-time series versus Missouri State and the eighth by the Jaguars against a current Missouri Valley Conference member.
- Taylor Stevens made just her second career start and her first behind the plate. Her only other start came during her freshman season when she started as the designated player against SIU-Edwardsville on Feb. 20, 2016.
- Savanna Mayo (second base) and Kvistad (third base) made their first career start at those respective positions, while true freshmen Ortiz and Cronan also made their first career starts.
- Dickerson's two-run home run in the sixth was the first of her career.
- South has now been shut out in each of its last two season openers.
- The Jaguars as 7-6 all-time in season openers after the loss to the Bears.
- The loss was just the second for South Alabama at the Sand Dollar Classic. Prior to Friday's game against Missouri State, the only other loss at the event came against Eastern Kentucky (1-0) back on Feb. 7, 2015.
- USA still holds an 11-2 (.846) record at the tournament.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On what positives she saw out on the field, despite the loss: "I thought there were a lot of bright spots out there. There were some places where we were really good and some places where we kind of broke down. I was happy to see the way our defense played. We have some young players out there and an infield who really hasn't worked together in true game action. We have a brand new middle infield (Cronan and May) and I thought they made some great plays out there. Taylor Stevens was behind the plate for the first time and I thought she did a great job there."
- On Alexis Reid: "There some places where Lex made some great pitches and some places where she kind of drifted in and out (of the zone) a little bit. It wasn't for a lack of effort. She just lost her timing a little bit and [Missouri State] took advantage of it."
- On the offense: "Offensively, I thought we were aggressive early. After we got behind, we kind of got caught in between and weren't nearly as aggressive. I think that's the thing as a team that we have to figure out. When you get caught in between, you aren't on time [at the plate]. We had good timing early, but once we got down, we started pressing a little bit and didn't have the at-bats we needed to have."

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.

—USA—