MOBILE, Ala. – Texas State used a pair of big innings Sunday afternoon to defeat the University of South Alabama softball team, 12-2 in five innings at Jaguar Field and take the Sun Belt Conference series.
UP NEXT
- South Alabama (10-15, 1-5 SBC) will now travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on regional rival Southern Mississippi in a midweek contest at the USM Softball Complex. First pitch versus the Golden Eagles is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
Date: 3/17
Place: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)
Final Score: Texas State 12, South Alabama 2 (5 inn.)
Records: Texas State (11-15, 2-4 SBC), South Alabama (10-15, 1-5 SBC)
Box Score
KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- South Alabama was unable to capitalize on a scoring chance in the bottom of the first with runners at second and third with one out, and Texas State then took control of the contest the next half inning erupting for six runs in the top of the second.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Victoria Ortiz was the lone Jaguar to record multiple hits in the loss as she was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored.
- Katelyn Gruich (double) and Megan Harris also had a hit and drove in a run for the Jaguars.
- The Bobcats received multi-hit performances from Hailey MacKay and Haleigh Davis. MacKay was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, a run scored, two RBI and a pair of walks, while Davis also drove in two and scored once.
- Christiana McDowell, Bailee Carter and Jordyn Smith scored twice, while Carter and Tara Oltmann chipped in with two RBI each.
- Megan King (5-8) picked up the complete-game victory as she allowed just the two runs, nine hits and struck out three, while 53 of her 70 pitches were thrown for strikes.
GAME FACTS
- South Alabama had a chance to take the early lead placing runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the first. A day after having her 12-game hit streak snapped, Brittani Reid lined a single to right and then moved to third on Kamdyn Kvistad's single to left and a Bobcat error. King though retired the next two Jag batters to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
- The Bobcats took advantage of the missed scoring opportunity the next half inning. MacKay doubled to the gap in right center to start the frame and then came around to score one batter later on Davis' single through the left side of the infield (1-0). Two batters later, Kennedy Cline lined Texas State's second double of the inning, this one to left center, bring in Davis (2-0). With runners at second and third, Smith bounced a single back up the middle to score ArieAnn Bell, who had walked earlier in the inning, give the Bobcats a 3-0 advantage.
- Texas State later added three more runs in the second on a RBI single by McDowell, sacrifice fly by Carter and a RBI double off the bat of Oltmann (6-0).
- The Bobcats loaded the baes in their half of the fourth after a two-out single by Carter and walks to Oltmann and MacKay. Davis then recorded her second hit of the game as she lined a single to center scoring Carter and extending the Texas State lead to 7-0.
- South Alabama broke through with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Holly Stewart and Cronan singled to put a pair of Jag runners on with one out. South used some aggressive base running on Cronan's single to left as Jordan Calderon – pinch-running for Stewart – advanced all the way to third and Cronan moved to second on the throw. Two batters later, Harris singled through the right side of the infield, scoring Calderon to cut the deficit to 7-1.
- The Bobcats batted around for the second time in the fifth, recording five runs on two hits, while Jaguar pitching issued five walks and hit a batter. Texas State loaded the bases for the second time in the contest with one out in the fifth after a leadoff double to Lagway and a pair of walks. The Bobcats then walked on five pitches to bring in pinch runner Brianna Sannem (8-1) and Oltmann was hit by a 2-2 pitch to bring in Smith and make it 9-1. With the bases still loaded, MacKay doubled off the wall in right to plate two more runs (11-1). Oltmann then scored on a wild pitch giving Texas State an 11-run lead.
- South Alabama was able to get one run back in the bottom of the fifth as Ortiz began the inning with a double and came around to score from third on Gruich's RBI single through the left side of the infield (12-2), but King was able to retire the final two Jag batters to pick up the run-rule win.
NOTES
- The meeting was the 16th in the all-time series between the two clubs.
- Stewart made her first career start on Sunday as the designated player for the Jaguars.
- Kvistad – who had started the first 22 games of the season – made her first start behind the plate, It was also her seventh career start at catcher.
- With her first-inning single, B. Reid has now reached base safely in 18-straight games, setting a new career high in the category. The streak of 18-straight games reached safely is also tied for 13th-longest streak in program history. Chloe Rathburn accomplished the feat twice during the 2015 season and Evelyne Pare had an 18-game streak during the 2007 season.
- Kvistad extended her career-best hit streak to nine games with her first-inning single to left.
- Texas State posted its second six-run inning of the series as the Bobcats sent 12 batters to the plate and recorded six runs on six hits in the second inning. Texas State also scored six runs in the top of the sixth Friday night in the series opener.
- The Bobcats also batted around and sent 12 batters to the plate during their five-run fifth.
- South Alabama used four pitchers in the contest, including three during the top of the fifth.
- Sophomore pitcher Meghan Dudenheffer made her season debut as she entered the circle in relief in the top of the fifth.
- Texas State recorded three stolen bases in the finale and ended the series with 13. The Bobcats also had eight doubles, including five on Sunday.
- With her two hits, Ortiz registered her third multi-hit game of the season.
THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "I thought we won the first inning. Second inning, I thought we got beat badly. Third inning, I thought it was a tie and I thought we won the fourth inning, but then the fifth inning, obviously we lost that inning. In the second and fifth inning, we just didn't make pitches, walked people and gave up the big hit. That's the part we need to figure out because we have the offense is doing what it needs to do. But, when you get behind the eight-ball it's hard for them to come back and get the job done. I thought [the players] were fighting and working the entire time. It was just a big hole to dig out of. We just need to take a step forward in that area, we have to get better there."
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—
