ARLINGTON, Texas – The University of South Alabama held a six-run lead after three-and-a-half innings, but UTA scored seven unanswered runs, including three in the bottom of the seventh to take game one (10-9) of the Sun Belt Conference series Friday night at Allan Saxe Field.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (9-11, 0-1 SBC) will face UTA (11-10, 1-0 SBC) on Saturday in game two of the Sun Belt series with first pitch versus the Mavericks set for 1 p.m. at Allan Saxe Field.

Date: 3/8
Place: Allan Saxe Field (Arlington, Texas)

Final Score: UTA 10, South Alabama 9
Records: UTA (11-10, 1-0 SBC), South Alabama (9-11, 0-1 SBC)

Box Score (PDF)

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- With two outs and the bases loaded, UTA's Laura Curry lined a seventh-inning single back up the middle to plate two runs and tie the contest up, but the ball was mishandled in center field allowing Whitney Walton to score all the way from first for the walk-off win for the Mavericks.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Brittani Reid reached base all five of her plate appearances and went 4-for-4 with a home run, a double and a walk, while scoring twice and driving in three.
- Savanna Mayo, Taylor Stevens and Victoria Ortiz also finished with two hits apiece. Stevens had two RBI, Ortiz was also hit by a pitch and drove in a run, while Mayo scored once.
- Kamdyn Kvistad also scored twice and drove in a pair with her two-run home run.
- UTA was paced at the plate by Laura Curry's 3-for-5 night. Curry scored twice and drove in a pair and swiped two bases.
- Whitney Walton also had a solid night as she had a pair of hits, was walked once and scored three times, and hit her second home run of the season.
- Melanie Mendoza was also 2-for-4 at the plate and scored twice.
- Allie Gardner (1-3) pitched 3.1 innings of shutout relief and allowed just four Jaguar hits, none of which were for extra bases.

GAME FACTS
- South had a scoring chance in the top half of the opening frame as B. Reid led the game off with a double to left. UTA starter Randi Phillips though was able to retire the next three Jag batters to end the inning.
- UTA pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the bottom half of the first as Bri Burchanti singled through the left side of the Jaguar infield with two outs, scoring Walton and Curry to put UTA up 2-0. Walton reached on a South Alabama throwing error to begin the inning. Walton had initially been ruled out on the play, but after a meeting the umpires ruled her safe. -
- The Jaguars had an opportunity to answer back its next time up as Katelyn Gruich walked and Ortiz was hit by a Phillips' pitch to put runners on, but South left runners at the corners.
- For the second time in as many at-bats, B. Reid led off the third with her second hit of the contest, this one an infield single that skipped off the glove of Brittany Wyllie at third. With one away, Kvistad tied the contest up at 2-2 as the sophomore launched a 2-0 offering deep over the wall in left center for her fourth home run of the season.
- The Mavs got a run back and retook the lead the next half inning as they put runners at first and second after a single by Aileen Garcia and a two-out walk to Burchanti. Wyllie then lined a single back up the middle to score pinch runner Ryleigh Love from second (3-2).
- South Alabama answered back with a huge inning as it sent 12 batters to the plate in the fourth and scored seven runs on six hits while also being aided by two Maverick errors. All seven of the Jag runs in the inning coming with two outs.
Stevens and Mayo both singled with one out in the inning and then two batters later, B. Reid continued her outstanding night as she blasted a three-run home run over the fence in left to give the Jaguars their first lead of the contest.
- Following the home run, South would take advantage of a pair of defensive miscues by the Maverick defense. After Kennedy Cronan drew a walk, UTA looked as if it might get out of the inning, but Mendoza bobbled the ball at second extending the inning. USA then loaded the bases after a single by Abby Krzywiecki and plated the first of three unearned runs as Ortiz lined a single to right, scoring Cronan.  Stevens then posted her second hit of the inning and drove in two more unearned runs with a single to right, making it 9-3 Jaguars.
- In the bottom of the fourth, Mendoza led off the inning with an infield single and then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Walton then sacrificed the Mav second baseman over to third and with two away in the frame, UTA scored an unearned run when Mayo was unable to cleanly field a ball off the bat of Curry for an unearned run (9-4).
- Mavericks pulled within two (9-7) two innings later with three runs on four hits in the bottom half of the sixth. Walton homered to left with one away in the frame, and Krista Rude and Curry followed with infield singles. With runners at second and third, Garcia plated the second run of the inning with a ground out to short. Curry came home on the next batter as Reagan Wright singled through the left side of the infield to bring in Curry and make it 9-7.
- Jags had a chance to add on an insurance run in the top of the seventh with runners at first and second. B. Reid lined the ball back up the middle for her fourth hit of the contest, but Mayo was thrown out at the plate attempting to score.
- Trailing by a pair of runs entering its final at-bat in regulation, pinch hitter KJ Murphy worked the count full and drew a one-out walk. Mendoza then singled. South intentionally walked Walton – the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Week – to load the bases. Curry followed with a single back up the middle bringing in the tying run and on the play, the ball was mishandled in centerfield, allowing Walton to race around for the game-winning unearned run.

NOTES
- The meeting between South Alabama and UTA marked the 17th in the all-time series between the two clubs.
- It was also the third time and second straight season that the Jaguars and the Mavericks have opened up Sun Belt Conference play versus each other, but it was the first time that the two teams have begun league play on UTA's home field.
- B. Reid extended a pair of streaks with her leadoff double to start the contest.  With her extra-base hit, B. Reid has now reached base safely in each of her last 13 games and her nine-game hit streak is a new career best.
- Multi-hit game for B. Reid was her eighth of the season and the 20th of her career, moving her into a time with former Jag Alyssa Lynn for 21st on the program's all-time list.
- The four hits by B. Reid also set a new career best.
- Krzywiecki also extended her 11-game reached base safely streak with a single.
- The home run by Kvistad in the top of the third was the 12th of her career and marked the 14th time in South's last 17 games that the Jaguars have recorded at least one home run.
- Friday's game also marked the fourth multi-home run game for the Jaguars in 2019.
- The six-run comeback by UTA tied the largest ever erased by an opponent, tying the six-run deficit overcome by Florida State on May 19, 2013 in the NCAA Regional.
- The two hit performance marked the first multi-hit outing of Ortiz's career, while it was the third for Stevens and the 11th of Mayo's career.
11th of Mayo's career

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "Obviously we had some bright spots offensively and put up the runs we needed to [to get the win]. I want Lex [Alexis Reid] on the mound in that situation [the seventh inning]; I have total confidence in her. I thought she pitched a great game, and I had confidence in her that she would get the bottom of [UTA's] order. It didn't work out in our favor and we have to let that fuel us tomorrow come back strong. We need to let tonight's result motivate us in that game."

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.

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