LAFAYETTE, La. – No. 16 Louisiana used a four-run fifth inning to break a scoreless tie Sunday afternoon in the series finale as the Ragin' Cajuns went on to defeat the University of South Alabama, 6-0 and complete the series sweep at Lamson Park.

Meredith Keel led South at the plate as she was 3-for-3 with a double in the loss.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (16-11, 6-3 SBC) will return home to host McNeese State on Wednesday night. First pitch versus the Cowgirls is set for 5 p.m. at Jaguar Field.

SOUTH ALABAMA at NO. 16 LOUISIANA
Date: 3/28
Place: Lamson Park (Lafayette, La.)

Final Score: Louisiana 6, South Alabama
Records: Louisiana (19-6, 5-1 SBC), South Alabama (16-11, 6-3 SBC)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Summer Ellyson (7-4)  LP – Olivia Lackie (11-5)
Home Runs: UL: Jade Gortarez (3)

GAME FACTS
- Meredith Keel and Abby Krzywiecki posted back-to-back one-out singles in the opening frame, and the two Jag baserunners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Ellyson though was able to retire the next two batters with a strikeout and a pop out on the infield.
- Allie Hughen reached on a two-out Cajun error, who then moved into scoring position with a stolen base in the Jag second, but Ellyson ended the threat with a strikeout, her third of the inning.
- Louisiana appeared to have taken a two-run lead as Melissa Mayeux homered over the wall in left, but Katlyn Alderink, who had been hit by a pitch earlier in the frame, was called out for having left the bag early negating the home run and ending the inning.
- Keel singled back up the middle – her second hit of the afternoon – with one out and then moved into scoring position two batters later as she swiped second, but she was left stranded after a foul out to third ended the inning.
- Her next time up, Keel recorded her third hit with a 2-out double that dropped in left center. Following the extra-base hit, game two starter Kandra Lamb entered in relief and was able to record a strikeout to end the frame.
- After leaving five runners in scoring position through the first five innings, the Ragin' Cajuns capitalized on the missed scoring opportunities with a four-run fifth. Alderink walked to start the bottom half of the inning and Kendall Talley lined a double to right to put a pair of UL runners in scoring position. Mayuex then plated the first run of the game with a RBI fielder's choice (0-1). Karly Heath walked to load the bases and two batters later, the Ragin' Cajuns doubled their advantage (0-2) on Ciara Bryan's sac fly to right. Alissa Dalton followed with a two-run double off the wall in left to make it 4-0 in favor of Louisiana.
- Gortarez led off the UL sixth with her third home run of the season to extend the Cajun lead to 5-0. The Ragin' Cajuns added another run (0-6) in the inning on a Jaguar throwing error.

NOTES
- With her three hits, Keel recorded her team-best 10th multi-hit game of the season.
- The start at designated player marked the fifth career start and the first for Jordyn Calderon since starting at second base during the Appalachian State series last spring in Mobile on (3/17). The last time Calderon started at the designated player position came against Illinois (2/8/20).
- The two-out single by Calderon in the top of the fourth inning marked her first career hit.
- Through her first four innings of work, Lackie had tossed a total of 35 pitches with no more than 13 in an inning, but the freshman threw 36 in the four-run UL fifth.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the weekend:
"We have to own these games and own the things we did well and the areas where we need to improve. Our effort was there all weekend, so these losses are not a lack of want to. We have proven we can play with the best teams in the nation and we need to realize how close we are to breaking through as a team and use that as motivation 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.

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