ATHENS, Ga. – Virginia used a six-run sixth inning Saturday night to rally back and defeat the University of South Alabama softball team, 9-4 at the 14th Annual Red & Black Classic held at Turner Softball Stadium.

Meredith Keel, Belle Wolfenden and Abby Krzywiecki, who each had two hits apiece, led the Jaguars offensively. Wolfenden and Krzywiecki each drove in a run, while Keel had a double and a triple to go along with a run scored.

Virginia was led by Katie Goldberg – two hits and two RBI – and Kate Covington – the go-ahead grand slam in the sixth.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (1-2) will have a quick turnaround, as the Jaguars will look to bounce back against Virginia Sunday morning at 9 a.m. (CT).

Date: 2/13
Place: Turner Softball Stadium (Athens, Ga.)
Final Score: Virginia 9, South Alabama 4
Records: Virginia (1-1), South Alabama (1-2)
Pitchers of Record: W – Madison Harris (1-1)  L – Olivia Lackie (0-2)
Home Runs: UVA: Katie Goldberg (1), Kate Covington (1)

GAME FACTS
- Bailey Winscott on four straight out of the zone to start the home half of the first and two pitches later the outfielder stole second to move into scoring position. Katie Goldberg then drove a 0-2 pitch over the wall in left to put the Cavaliers up 2-0.
- South answered back quickly with a pair of runs the next half inning. Kassidy Wilcox lined a shot back up the middle the deflected off UVA starter Mikayla Houge's glove, allowing the Jag catcher to reach first for a base hit. Pinch runner Caroline "Pepper" Nichols then stole second to move into scoring position. Two batters later, Shelby Sloan lined a double into the gap in left center to score Nichols, and Amanda Flynn followed with a double of her own down the line in left on a ball tailing away from the UVA leftfielder to tie the game at 2-2.
- Krzywiecki quickly moved into scoring position to start the fourth as her double down the leftfield line landed just inside the chalk.  On the first pitch after a UVA pitching change, the Jag senior advanced to third on a wild pitch. South later put runners at the corners as Allie Hughen was able to draw a two-out walk, but UVA reliever Claire Zurich was able to get a foul out to end the inning and keep the game tied.
- Ashley Jennings led off the bottom half of the next frame with a double that hit the base of the wall in left. Pinch runner Emma McBride then moved up 60 feet on a passed ball. With runners at the corners two batters later, McBride (unearned) was able to race home on a wild pitch, putting the Cavaliers back out in front, 3-2. Olivia Lackie would limit the damage as she closed out the inning with her eighth strikeout of the night.
- For the second straight inning, South Alabama quickly had a runner sit 60 feet from home as Keel continued her hot hitting as she lined a triple off the wall in right to begin the fifth. After a pitching change, Wolfenden tied the game up as she looped a single into left center – her second hit of the night and fifth of the weekend. Katelyn Gruich then singled to left and two batters later, Krzywiecki lined a shot to left for her second hit of the contest, plating Jordyn Calderon (4-3), pinch running for Gruich.
- UVA pinch hitter Tori Gilbert reached on a one-out infield hit in the bottom half of the sixth, and Mikaila Fox walked to put a pair of runners on before Arizona Ritchie tied the game at 4-4 with a RBI single to left. The Cavaliers then loaded the bases after a Jaguar error while trying to get the runner out at third. Covington then untied the game with a grand slam over the wall in left center, giving Virginia an 8-4 lead. Goldberg with a two-out single to center and UVA added another run (9-4) on Donna Friedman's double to left.

NOTES
- The meeting versus the Cavaliers marked the first series meeting for the Jaguars.
- The eight strikeouts by Lackie were a season high for the freshman.
- Wolfenden has now had multi-hit outings in back-to-back games.
- The multi-hit game for Krzywiecki marked the ninth of her career, while the double was her 12th as a Jaguar.
- Keel has now posted two hits in each of the Jags' first three games this season.
- With her fifth-inning RBI, Wolfenden leads the team in that category with five.
- The start at first for Gruich marked the first for the senior at the position since the 2019 season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the game:
"I think I have to do a better job coaching. When you out-hit somebody 10-7, you need to score more than four runs. As a team, we need to do a better job with runners in scoring position. I feel there are some places there where we are trying to do too much.
"I think this is the type of game that 'Liv [Olivia Lackie] can finish. After the game, we talked about the fact that we need to eliminate some of the unnecessary walks and work ahead in the count a little bit more. Those are things she can fix; that's not just her, but all the pitchers. Across the board, we've had some walks that we don't need and we've worked behind the count where instead we need to work ahead more, so tomorrow we need to take a step forward tomorrow in that area as well as our situational hitting and do a better job with runners in scoring position."

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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