MADIERA BEACH, Fla. – The University of South Alabama softball team rallied back from a two-run deficit and defeated Florida Atlantic, 3-2 in nine innings Sunday afternoon at THE Spring Games held at the Madiera Beach R.O.C. Park.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (6-15) will now return home to open up Sun Belt Conference play next weekend versus Appalachian State. Game one of the three-game series versus the Mountaineers is set to begin Friday at 6 p.m. at Jaguar Field.

Date: 3/1
Place: R.O.C. Park (Madiera Beach, Fla.)

Final Score: South Alabama 3, Florida Atlantic 2 (9 inn.)
Records: South Alabama (6-15), Florida Atlantic (6-11)

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Amanda Flynn was one of three Jags to end the game with two hits. Flynn was 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI, a run scored and walked once. She also recorded the first home run of her career.
- MC Nichols and Kamdyn Kvistad also went 2-for-5 at the plate with the former scoring a pair of runs and the later driving in the game-winner.
- Katelyn Gruich also reached base safely three times as she walked twice and was hit by a pitch.
- Allie Hughen (1-5) tossed her third complete game of the spring. In her nine innings in the circle, Hughen allowed just two unearned runs on five hits and struck out four.
- Sara Berthiaume had a pair of hits and scored a run for the Owls, while Kaitlyn Burke drove in both runs for FAU.

GAME FACTS
- Berthiaume dropped in a single in shallow right in the third and the Owls put runners at second and third one batter later as M. Nichols dropped a ball in left center. FAU took advantage of the miscue as Burke singled to center to plate a pair of unearned runs and give Florida Atlantic the 2-0 lead.
- FAU threatened to add to its lead as Claire Blount reached on South's third error of the day to begin the bottom of the fourth for the Owls. Flynn though gunned down Owl pinch runner, Sami Williams trying to advance to third on Gretchen Ebet's single.
- South finally broke through on the scoreboard in the sixth. With one away, Flynn blasted a home run to right, the first of her career to cut the FAU lead in half (2-1).
- The Jaguars rallied and tied the game up in the top of the seventh. M. Nichols singled through the left side with one out, and Kvistad's two-out single to put runners at the corners. Gruich reached for the second time as she walked on four-straight pitches to load the bases. Flynn then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in M. Nichols (2-2).
- Both teams had chances to end the game in the eighth. South was able to advance a runner to third, but Lyn Gardner (2-4) was able to retire the next two Jag batters.
- In its half of the eighth, FAU had runners at the corners with one away, but the South defense held the Owls off the scoreboard. Jordyn Calderon fielded a ground ball and was able to look the runner at third back and throw out the runner at first. Brasher then made an amazing diving catch in left to end the inning and keep the Jags alive.
- South Alabama took its first lead of the day in its half of the ninth. Playing with the international tiebreaker rule in effect, M. Nichols started at second. Kvistad lined a hard-hit single to right center, which allowed Nichols to race around the bases and slide home giving the Jags the 3-2 lead.
- FAU moved the potential tying run to third in the bottom half of the inning, but Brasher made another sliding catch along the foul line in left and Hughen struck out Sommer Baker to end the game.

NOTES
- Sunday's meeting between the former Sun Belt Conference members marked the first in the series since March 8, 2014.
- With the win, South has now won the last five meetings and eight of the last 10 in the series.
- Four of the 25 series meetings have gone extra innings with each team now holding two of those wins.
-The start at second marked the first career start at the position for Calderon and the second career start at any position for the New Jersey native.
- M. Nichols caught stealing in the third inning marked the first time this spring that the senior has been thrown out while attempting to swipe a base.
- Gruich was hit by a pitch for the 31st time in her career to begin the fourth inning.
- The sixth-inning home run by Flynn was not only the first of the junior outfielder's career, but the first allowed by FAU's Gardner this season.
- The multi-hit game for M. Nichols was her sixth of the season and the 23rd of her Jaguar career.
- Kvistad's multi-hit game was the 27th of her career, moving her into a tie for 17th with Britany Campbell on the all-time list in the category.
- Hughen's 1-2-3 ninth inning marked the fifth time that the junior sat the Owls down in order.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the win:
"Today was a great team win. Allie [Hughen] pitched a great game and the defense made big plays when we needed them. We put together some great at-bats and got the big hit when we needed it. I'm proud of our effort and happy for our players. We needed this kind of win going into conference play.

Junior RHP Allie Hughen
- On the difference in her pitching today and this weekend:
"I think my mental game was better. I just had to get a grip and do what I know how to do, and exceed in the places I know I am capable of exceeding in."

- On what the team can take away from a win like today:
"I think we as a team are starting to learn that we can thrive in these types of moments and in close games. We know that we have each other's backs and we've been getting better at trusting each other and knowing that we will be able to come through when we need to. I have full confidence in my team when I'm out there in tight situations, and I know they have confidence in me. It's good to have that trust in each other as we go into conference play."

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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