MOBILE, Ala. – Allie Hughen delivered a walk-off double in the night cap against Evansville and the University of South Alabama scored three in the sixth in the opener versus Austin Peay to pick up a pair of late-inning victories Saturday at the Jaguar Challenge held at Jaguar Field. South defeated Evansville, 7-6 and Austin Peay, 9-8.

In addition to driving in the game-winner against the Purple Aces, Hughen scored four times and had a pair of hits in the two games. Kamdyn Kvistad also went a combined 5-for-8 at the plate with two doubles, two runs scored and two runs driven in. Amanda Flynn also had five hits on the day.

Freshman Lexi Htchins (2-0) picked up both wins in relief as she tossed 3.1 innings and allowed just one earned run.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (4-5) will close out the Jaguar Challenge on Sunday when it takes on Evansville at 12:15 p.m.

Date: 2/15
Place: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)

Game 1
Final Score: -South Alabama 9, Austin Peay 8
Records: South Alabama (3-5), Austin Peay (3-3)

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Amanda Flynn was a perfect 4-for-4 in the opener as she drove in a pair and scored a run.
- M. Nichols and Kvistad also had multi-hit games for the Jaguars as they were each 3-for-4. M. Nichols drove in two and scored a run, while recording her first double of the season. Kvistad also had a double, scored a run and drove in a run.
- Breaana Barlow had two hits in her three at-bats, while driving in two and scoring a run.
- Gruich was hit by a pitch twice, walked twice and scored a run.
- Lexi Osowski, Emily Harkeroad and Brett Jackson each had two hits apiece, while the latter two drove in a pair. Osowski and Brooke Pfefferle also scored twice.

GAME FACTS
- Austin Peay scored a run in the top of the first to take the early advantage. Pfefferle was hit by a pitch with one out and later came around to score on Harkleroad's RBI single back up the middle (1-0).
- M Nichols led off the bottom of the first with a double to left center and was moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by MacKenzie Brasher, but Shelby Harpe (2-2) retired the next two to hold South off of the scoreboard.
- South took advantage of a pair of defensive miscues by the Governors in the second. Gruich was hit by a pitch to start the inning and then moved around to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hughen and a throwing error. Gruich then came home one batter later on Breanna Barlow's sacrifice fly to left (1-1). With two outs in the inning, Flynn doubled home a run with a shot that bounced off the wall in center (2-1). The Jaguars added another run one batter later on Brasher's RBI single to center. The freshman was caught in a rundown, but Pfefferle dropped the ball on the attempted tag, allowing Brasher to reach second and keep the inning alive. After a walk to Kennedy Cronan, Kvistad singled to center – the fourth hit of the inning for the Jaguars – plating Brasher to make it 5-2.
- In the top of the third, Austin Peay loaded the bases with two outs and was able to get a run when Drew Dudley was hit by a pitch (5-2). However, Rivers limited the damage as she recorded her fifth strikeout of the game one batter later.
- South added another run in its half of the third, this one coming on a two-out, bases-loaded infield single by Nichols, her second hit of the contest, which scored Hughen (6-2).
- Austin Peay put up a five spot – all unearned – of its own in the top of the sixth to retake the lead after a pair of Jaguar throwing errors kept the inning alive. The Govs placed runners at the corners with two outs after a single by Pfefferle, and then scored a run on a Jaguar throwing error (6-3). Two more scored one batter later after another throwing error to make it 6-5, and Jackson put the Lady Govs out in front (7-6) on a two-run home run to left, her first of the season.
- Kvistad just missed homering on the first pitch of the Jag sixth, as the ball hit high off the wall in left. With runners at the corner and one out, Barlow laced a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Kvistad to tie the game up. After a wilp pitch moved runners to second and third, Holly Stewart brought home with a ground out to second (8-7). Flynn then recorded her fourth hit of the game with an infield single, bringing home Barlow.
- Evansville was able to get a run back in the top of the seventh after a bases-loaded RBI ground out by Harkleroad, but Hutchins induced a game-ending ground ball to clinch the one-run victory.

NOTES
- With the win, South improves to 6-0 in the all-time series versus Austin Peay.
- With her two hit-by-pitches, Gruich has now been bumped 30 times in her Jaguar career.
- The sixth-inning walk by Gruich came after an impressive 13-pitch at-bat where she fouled off nine balls, including seven two-strike pitches.
- Gruich reached base four times without a hit as she walked twice in addition to the being hit twice.
- The 14 hits by South marked a season-best for the Jaguars.
- The multi-hit game for M. Nichols was the third of the season for the redshirt-senior and the 20th of her career, moving her into a tie for 23rd on the all-time list with former Jag Alyssa Lin. The three hits also set a new career mark for Nichols.
- After having her reached base safely streak ended the night before, the four hits by Flynn were a new career-best and the first multi-hit game of her career.

Game 2
Final Score: South Alabama 7, Evansville 6
Records: South Alabama (4-5), Evansville (4-5)

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Hughen recorded just one hit, but it was the biggest of the night for the junior as it was the game-winning RBI double.
- Kvistad posted another multi-hit effort as she was 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and a RBI.
- After not being credited with an official at-bat in the opener, Gruich went 3-for-4 in the nightcap with a double, two runs scored and a RBI.
- Camryn McLemore had a two-run pinch-hit single in her only plate appearance.
- M. Nichols and Abby Krzywiecki also drove in a run.
- Jessica Fehr was 2-for-3 on the night with two runs scored and a pair of RBI for the Purple Aces.
- Eryn Gould also had a hit, walked twice and scored two times.

GAME FACTS
- Evansville placed two aboard in its half of the second after a pair of walks, but Jag starter Jenna Hardy was able to get a strikeout swinging to end the threat.
- South took advantage of the missed opportunity and grabbed the lead with a pair of two-out RBI singles. Krzywiecki drove in Gruich – who had doubled to lead off the inning – for the first run. M. Nichols then continued her outstanding day when she lined a single to left, bringing around Flynn to make it 2-0 in favor of the Jaguars.
- With runners at the corners and two away, Hannah Hood singled through the left side of the infield for Evansville to score Behr from third (2-1). Behr had reached on a fielding error to start the inning.
- Their next time up, the Purple Aces placed a pair aboard with one out and after a strikeout swinging and an intentional walk to Behr loaded the bases, Alyssa Barella doubled off the wall in center to plate a pair of unearned runs and give Evansville the 3-2 lead.
- The Jaguars answered back with a pair of runs to retake the lead the next half inning. Hughen was hit by a pitch to start things off and after a sacrifice bunt and a four-pitch walk to Krzywiecki, McLemore then lined a single to center, scoring the two Jag runners for a 4-3 advantage.
- The Purple Aces responded right back with a three-run sixth as Fehr plated a pair on a double down the right field line and later came around to score when South was unable to come up with the out at first as the ball was dropped, allowing Fehr to score from second (6-4).
- Brasher gave the Jags a runner to begin the seventh as she beat out an infield single to start the rally. After a pop out on the infield, Kvistad lined a double off the wall in left center to bring across Brasher and cut the deficit to one (6-5). Gruich then poked a seeing-eye single through the right side of the infield to score Kvistad from second and tie the game at 6-6, setting the table for Hughen. With two outs, Hughen drove UE's Emily Lockhart's 0-2 pitch to the gap in left center to score Gruich and complete the comeback (7-6).

NOTES
- The multi-hit game by Gruich was the 12th of her career and the first of the season for the senior.
- Brasher extended her current hit streak to five games, while Cronan has now reached base safely in a team-best seven games after earning a walk.
- McLemore's pinch-hit, two-run single in the fourth inning marked the first collegiate hit of her career.
- The walk-off win was the first by the Jaguars since Feb. 24, 2019 when they scored three runs in the seventh to defeat Nicholls State in Mobile.
- South Alabama was 6-for-12 in two-out hitting against the Purple Aces and 6-for-13 (.462) with runners in scoring position.
- South's leadoff batter reached base in five of its seven innings.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On today's two wins:
"We definitely had to work hard for both of our wins today. There were some places in there where we need to clean some stuff up. We created a lot of our own adversity. The good news is we were able to overcome that adversity. I didn't think we were incredibly sharp. Pitching and defense can take a step forward from what we saw today. Overall, our hitting was good. I still think there are some places where we are coming in and out of at bats and that's the place where we need to take a step forward. We need to continue to improve our hitting, pitching and defense. We need to get there and stay there. The good news is although we did not play incredibly well we still had enough fight, grit and talent to come back and win."

Allie Hughen, Jr. 2B
- On using the wins to grow as a team:
"I think it gives us the confidence to know that even if we are behind we can pick each other up. It gives us confidence and allows us to believe that whoever is out on the field can get the job done."

- On her approach at the plate during her game-winning at-bat:
"At that point, I was thinking that I didn't have anything to lose. I just wanted to put the ball out there. She [Evansville pitcher Emily Lockhart] had been getting me all game, so I told myself I just had to go for it and whatever happen happens. Having my teammates' support and their confidence in me to produce in that spot felt amazing and everyone's excitement for me once I got the hit felt so good."

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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