BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State broke a tie with a three-run third and took the series rubber match with a 5-2 win in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (12-20, 2-10 SBC) will return home to host Southern Mississippi on Wed. (April 3). First pitch versus the Golden Eagles is set for 6:30 p.m. at Jaguar Field in Mobile, Ala.

Date: 3/31
Place: Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium (Boone, N.C.)

Final Score: Appalachian State 5, South Alabama 2
Records: Appalachian State (23-9, 10-2 SBC), South Alabama (12-20, 2-10 SBC)

Box Score

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- After the Jaguars had tied the game back up in the top half of the third, Appalachian State scored three runs on four hits in the bottom half of the frame to retake the lead. Two of the three runs in the inning were unearned.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Dayla Gulledge was 2-for-4 with a home run – her second multi-hit outing of the season and the fifth of her career.
- Kennedy Cronan walked twice and had a solo home run as well in her lone credited at-bat.
- Samantha Yarbrough pitched three-and-a-third of solid relief, allowing just one run on two hits, while striking out seven.
- Appalachian State was led offensively by Keri White (2-for-4). In addition to her two hits, White also drove in a run and scored a run.
- Caylie Kifer, Ally Walters and Allison Durrence also had a hit and drove in a run for the Mountaineers.
- Kenzie Longanecker picked up her second win of the series and improved to 14-1 this season with the complete game effort. Longanecker allowed eight hits, struck out four and walked two.

GAME FACTS
- Southa pair in scoring position after Taylor Stevens' single to left and an App State error, but Longanecker fields a bouncer back to the circle and throws to first to end the inning.
- South Alabama had a scoring opportunity its second time up as the Jags placed runners at second and third with two outs. With a runner on, Taylor Stevens lined a single to left – her fourth hit of the series. The ball was misplayed by App State's leftfielder allowing Savanna Mayo and Stevens to mover around to second and third. Longanecker was able to get a ground out back to the circle to end the inning.
- The Mountaineers took advantage of the missed opportunity and grabbed a 1-0 lead on Durrence's two-out solo home run to left. The home run for Durrence was her second of the series.
- South answered right back the next half inning as Gulledge tied the contest back up at 1-1 when she registered her third home run of the season, this one a solo shot over the wall in center.
- Appalachian State retook the lead in the bottom half of the third, scoring three runs (one earned) on four hits and a Jaguar error. Megan Walker reached on a Jaguar error to start the frame and after a single by White, the two runners both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Walker (unearned) then came into score the first run of the inning on Kifer's single to left. Dodd followed with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-1. Two batters later the Mountaineers added another unearned run on a RBI double off the bat of Walters (4-1). Yarbrough entered in relief and struck out Durrence to end the inning.
- South Alabama had another scoring opportunity as Victoria Ortiz (single) and Cronan (walk) reached to start the fourth, but Longanecker retired the next three batters to get out of the jam.
- The Jags were able to cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the sixth as Cronan blasted her eighth home run of the season to straight-away center.
- App State loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth and with two outs, added an insurance run when White beat out an infield single allowing a run to score making it 5-2. Yarbrough continued her impressive outing in the circle as she got Kifer looking to end the inning.
- In the seventh, Harris led off the inning with a single to right. The Jaguars looked as if they might have something going when Gulledge singled, but on the play, B. Reid was thrown out trying to advance to third. Longanecker was then able to get a fly out to right to end the game.

NOTES
- With her start in the circle, A. Reid moved into a tie with Farish Beard for career appearances (55) and a tie for fifth with Destin Vicknair for starts (45).
- The home runs by Gulledge and Cronan were the 29th and 30th of the season for South Alabama. The 30 home runs now ranks eighth-most in a season. Of the Jags' 30 home runs this season, 16 have been solo shots.
- Gulledge's third-inning shot was the 11th in that inning this season.
- USA has now homered in 21 of its last 29 outings, including 18 during the month of March.
- The game also marked the seventh game this season South Alabama has recorded two or more home runs in a game during the 2019 season.
- The seven strike outs by Yarbrough tied a season high by the freshman right-hander.
- Yarbrough recorded multiple strikeouts in all three of the full innings that she worked.
- Five of Yarbrough's seven strikeouts were swinging.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the takeaways from the game and the weekend: "I thought we took a step forward in both yesterday and today's games. We competed 100 percent today; we didn't lose that game because we weren't competing. I thought we put ourselves out there. It didn't work out in our favor today, but I was proud of our kids for the way they fought and went after it. There're some execution pieces that you want to clean up that could help you when that game, but my biggest takeaway from the weekend is that we took a step forward as a team. I think they are figuring out who they want to be, so I'm proud of them for that part of it."

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—