MOBILE, Ala. – Stephen F. Austin's Ashley Kriesel pitched five-innings of no-hit ball and went 2-or-2 at the plate with a home run to defeat the University of South 9-0 in six innings in the final game of the Mardi Gras Classic Sunday afternoon. The loss was the sixth-straight for the Jags.

Mardi Gras Classic All-tournament
Hannah Roberts (Jacksonville)
Serena Quinata (Jacksonville)
Alyssa Bilodeau (Jacksonville)
Skylar Whitty (Jacksonville)
Madison Clements (Stephen F. Austin)
Shaylon Govan (Stephen F. Austin)
Kassidy Wilbur (Stephen F. Austin)
Ashley Kriesel (Stephen F. Austin)
Sam Ibison (Memphis)
Gracie Morton (Memphis)
Katelyn Gruich (South Alabama)

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (4-11) will now begin a six-game road stretch with Nicholls State on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. against the Colonels at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park.

Date: 2/23
Place: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)

Final Score: Stephen F. Austin 9, South Alabama 0 (6 inn.)
Records: Stephen F. Austin 10-4), South Alabama (4-11)

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- MC Nichols extended her reached base safely streak to 12 games with a walk.
- Kriesel (6-1) held South Alabama hitless in her five innings of work, striking out 11 Jaguar batters.
- Kriesel also led the Ladyjacks at the plate as she was 2-for-2 with a home run, two runs scored, two RBI, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
- Gabby Garcia also had a pair of hits score two runs and drove in three, while also posting her first home run of the season.
- Bailey Richards was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI, Govan reached base all four of her plate appearances with a base hit and three walks.

GAME FACTS
- SFA took the early lead with four runs on four hits and a Jaguar error in the top of the second. Arriaga doubled to start the inning, and two batters later Kriesel homered to left to give the Ladyjacks the 2-0 lead. Four batters later with runners at the corners and two away, Clement singled through the left side of the infield to bring in the first of two unearned runs, and then Bryanna Novegil scored (unearned) on a bases-loaded wild pitch to make it 4-0.
- South loaded the bases the next half inning after Kennedy Cronan reached on an error and Kamdyn Kvistad and Abby  Krzywiecki both walked, but Kriesel came back to strike out the next three Jaguar batters to hold South off the scoreboard.
- The Ladyjacks extended their lead to 5-0 with a run in their half of the third as Richards lined a single back up the middle to score Brittany Crawford from second, who had walked earlier in the inning.
- SFA added a pair of runs in top of the fifth. The first two batters of the inning reached and Garcia brought home the first run of the inning with a RBI single and later in the inning with the bases loaded, Govan drew a walk to drive in a run to make it 7-0.
- Garcia's two-out, two-run home run in the sixth extend the lead to 9-0 for the Ladyjacks.
- After running into the bases-loaded jam in the second, Kriesel would go on to set the next 12 Jaguar batters down in order before being lifted in the seventh.

NOTES
- The first eight outs recorded by Kriesel came via strikeouts with five of them swinging.
- Kriesel's second-inning home run marked the first official bat of the season for the Ladyjack starting pitcher.
- With her walk to start the sixth, M. Nichols extended her reached base safely streak to 12 games, tying a career-best for the redshirt senior.
- Louisiana was the last team to no-hit the Jaguars as the Ragin' Cajuns did so on April 24 of last season. UL also run-ruled the Jaguars in that game (14-0 in six innings).

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the loss:
"Tough way to end the tournament. We got to do a better job of protecting what's ours, got to have better bats, hit spots, and make defensive plays. That will be our focus going into this week."

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—