MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama's offense scored eight or more runs and double figure hits for the sixth-straight game as the Jaguars opened up its final Sun Belt Conference home series with a 9-4 win Friday night over Georgia Southern at Jaguar Field.
UP NEXT
- South Alabama (17-28, 6-17 SBC) will continue the three-game series on Saturday with first pitch set for 3 p.m. versus the Eagles.
Date: 4/26
Place: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)
Final Score: South Alabama 9, Georgia Southern 4
Records: South Alabama (17-28, 6-17 SBC), Georgia Southern (29-26, 5-16 SBC)
Box Score
KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME
- After surrendering a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, the Jaguars answered back with a four-run frame with all of the runs coming with two outs.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Brittani Reid (4-for-4) tied a career high with four hits and drove in a new career best four runs, while also recording a double, a home run and scoring twice.
- Senior second baseman Savanna Mayo was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and two RBI. The three hits for Mayo also tied a career high.
- Kennedy Cronan was 2-for-2 with a walk, a double and a RBI, while Victoria Ortiz also had a hit, drove in a run and scored once.
- Freshman right hander Samantha Yarbrough (5-9) went the distance in the circle for her fourth complete game of the season.
- Georgia Southern was led offensively by Hannah Farrell who had a pair of hits, including her fifth home run of the season, three RBI and scored a run.
GAME FACTS
- The Jaguars placed a pair on with one out after a leadoff infield single by B. Reid and a four-pitch walk to Cronan, but the Eagles were able to get out of the inning with a strikeout and a fielder's choice.
- South broke through with a run its next time up as it placed runners at first and second with one out for the second time in as many innings. Abby Krzywiecki was hit by a pitch and Mayo lined a single to left. Two batters later, B. Reid recorded her second hit of the contest with a single to right, scoring Krzywiecki from second and giving USA the 1-0 advantage.
- The Jags added to their lead with three runs on three hits and a GS error in the third. With two aboard, pinch runner Caroline Nichols scored the first run of the inning when she came home when Mekhia Freeman's throw home after a single by Katelyn Gruich was errant, allowing the freshman to score (2-0). Mayo then recorded her second hit of the evening with a two-out, two-run single to left which brought home Jordyn Calderon – pinch-running for Kvistad who had singled – and Gruich to make it 4-0 Jaguars.
- The Eagles placed their first runner in scoring position in the top of the fourth after a two-out walk to Shelby Wilson, but Yarbrough was able to get out of the inning when Macy Coleman bounced a chopper to Gruich at third who stepped on the bag for the force.
- B. Reid extended the Jag advantage to 5-0 as she drove a 2-2 pitch over the wall in center for her seventh home run of the season and her fourth to lead off an inning in 2019.
- Georgia Southern broke through with two runs on two hits to cut the Jaguar lead to 5-2. Jess Mazur was hit by a pitch and Ellington Day then doubled to the gap in left center – the first base hit of the game for the Eagles – to put runners at second and third. Mazur scored on a fielder's choice. Later in the inning with runners at second and third, Farrell singled back up the middle to plate Day.
- South picked up some big insurance runs as they put up four – all of which came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
After a pair of ground outs to begin the frame, Mayo doubled to the gap in right center for her third hit and Harris singled back up the middle to put runners at the corners. B. Reid continued her outstanding night at the plate as she double to center to bring in a pair and make it 7-2. Ortiz (single) and Cronan (double) then drove in the final two runs of the inning with two-out RBI hits of their own to extend the lead to 9-2. The base hits by the freshman extend both of their hitting streaks to six games. Kvistad nearly ended the game on the next pitch as she hit a towering fly ball to left that was caught just shy of the wall.
- Georgia Southern was able to get a pair of runs in the top of the seventh on Farrell's two-run home run, but Yarbrough retired Wilson to end the game.
NOTES
- Friday night's meeting marked the 14th in the all-time series and the seventh on the Jaguars' home field. With the win, South improved to 11-3 in the series and 7-0 on its home field versus the Eagles.
- The start for B. Reid marked the 88th-straight for the junior outfielder, who extended her hit streak to eight with her first-inning, infield single.
- The multi-hit game was also the 29th of B. Reid's career, moving her into a tie for 15th-place at South in the category with former Jaguar Katie McGuire (2007-10).
- B. Reid leads the team with 17 multi-hit outings this spring, which is tied with four other former Jaguars for fifth-most in a season.
- The four RBI also marked the sixth multi-RBI game this season for B. Reid and the 14th of her career, which is tied for 16th-best at South Alabama.
- The leadoff home run by B. Reid to start the fourth was the 50th of the season for the Jaguars, tying with the 2011 club for the second-most in program history in a single season.
- Of the 50 home runs hit by the Jags this spring, 26 have been solo shots with 14 of those leading off an inning.
- South Alabama has now homered in six straight and 12 of its last 14, recording 22 during that stretch. The six-game home run streak is tied for third-longest in program history and the second time this season the Jaguars have done so.
- The home run by B. Reid was the 17th of her collegiate career – her 15th as a Jaguar – and her seventh career leadoff home run.
- With her fifth-inning double, B. Reid also became the program's single-season doubles leader as she now has 16 this season. The junior entered the game leading the Sun Belt in that category.
- The multi-hit and multi-RBI night by Mayo marked the 14th and eighth, respectively, of the senior's career.
- The fifth inning was the first inning in which South Alabama didn't have the leadoff batter reach base safely.
- Cronan continues to be one of the best two-out hitters in the Sun Belt as she now has 14 two-out hits and 14 two-out RBI. As a team, South Alabama was 7-for-13 (.538) in its two-out hitting and 7-for-15 (.467) with runners in scoring position.
- With the 13-hit performance, South has notched double-digit hit tallies in each of its last six and seven of last eight. Over that stretch, the Jaguars are batting .442 as a team.
- Kvistad also extended her hit streak (8) and reached base safely (9) streaks in the victory.
THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On starting the series with a win: "It was a great start to the series for us. [The offense] is just doing a good job of putting together quality at-bats. I think they're working together and getting the big hit when we need it. They are using the middle of the field well. Obviously Brittani [Reid] and Savanna [Mayo] had big nights tonight, but altogether this was a great team win. We had some people come in and pinch run, we played defense well, Sam [Yarbrough] pitched well; to me that's just a great team win."
- On the offensive production helping the rest of the team settle in: "I think our offense is playing with a lot of confidence, and they should be. The have had a lot of success and for good reason. They have been working real hard and having quality at-bats. I think that obviously helps us all the way around. It helps everyone kind of settle in, so I love what they're doing. They are having a lot of fun and playing with confidence."
Sr. INF, Savanna Mayo
- On what was working for her at the plate: "I just felt really comfortable at the plate. I felt like I was seeing the ball really well. I was just trying to be comfortable and get out of the slump that I have been in and it worked out. My teammates came in behind me and got the job done as well."
- On starting the series off well: "We have been struggling this season a lot and it feels good to come out here, work together, and get a win."
Jr. OF, Brittani Reid
- On setting the single-season doubles record at South: "It means a lot. I have worked really hard this year on my hitting and being more consistent. I haven't really thought too much about my results. I'm just trying to go out there and have fun."
- On the importance of this win: "I think it's a turning point for the team. We have a goal that we're trying to work for, and I feel like we are all in at this point."
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).
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