TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team split its doubleheader Saturday with Kent State at the Easton T-Town Showdown held at Rhoads Stadium. The Jaguars bounced back to take the nightcap, 10-3 after falling 2-0 in game one of the day versus the Flashes.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (9-7) will close out its tournament action on Sunday against second-ranked Alabama. First pitch versus the Crimson Tide is set for 4 p.m., and will be televised on the SEC Network.

SOUTH ALABAMA vs. KENT STATE
Date: 3/6
Place: Rhoads Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Game 1
Final Score: Kent State 2, South Alabama 0
Records: Kent State (3-4), South Alabama (8-7)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Jessica LeBeau (2-2)  LP – Olivia Lackie (6-3)
Home Runs: KSU: Kaitlyn Miller (1)

GAME FACTS
- Kent State leadoff hitter Kennadie Goth reached on a three-base error to start the game and with one out, the Flashes plated the first run of the game on Brenna Brownfield's suicide squeeze bunt.
- The Flash threatened to add to its one-run lead In their half of the fourth. Madyson Cole reached on a one-out bunt single in the top of the fourth and two batters later Alexis Taube dropped in a single in center to put runners at the corners with two away. Taube then stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position, but Lackie was able to get a pop out on the infield to end the threat.
- Kent State put a pair on in its half of the fifth, but South was able to keep them off the board with a pair of nice defensive plays and Lackie's sixth strikeout of the game.
- Allie Hughen was hit by a pitch with two outs in the fifth inning, ending a stretch of 10 straight batters retired by LeBeau. During that stretch, the Kent State starter recorded eight strikeouts. Bailey Welch then walked to put two runners on for South – the first time the Jags had multiple base runners, but LeBeau was able to record her 12th strikeout of the contest to end the inning.
- With one out in the sixth, KSU pinch hitter Kaitlyn Miller homered over the wall on the first pitch she saw (2-0).
- Caroline Nichols led off the bottom half of the inning with a liner to left. Two batters later, Nichols moved into scoring position after she stole second. However, LeBeau would get a strikeout and a pop out on the infield to keep the two-run advantage.

NOTES
- Game one of the day marked the first in the all-time series between the two programs. It was also the 10th meeting against a current Mid-American Conference opponent for the Jaguars.
- LeBeau went the distance for Kent State, striking out 15, while only allowing two hits and issuing two walks. She had multiple strikeouts in all but the fourth and sixth innings, and struck out the side in the first, second and fifth.
- Eight Kent State's first nine outs recorded by LeBeau came via the strikeout.
- The 15 strikeouts tied a season high for South Alabama matching the total against Georgia in the season opener on Feb. 12.
- With her 10 strikeouts, Lackie recorded her third double-digit strike out game of the season and her second of the weekend.
- The freshman only allowed five hits and a walk, while one of the two runs allowed were earned.

Game 2
Final Score: South Alabama 10, Kent State 3
Records: South Alabama (9-7), Kent State (3-5)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Allie Hughen (2-3)  SV – Kaitlyn  Hughes (1)  LP – Gabbie Sherman (0-2)
Home Runs: USA: Abby Krzywiecki (1), Kassidy Wilcox (1); KSU: Kristyn Eckl (1)

GAME FACTS
- Mackenzie Brasher reached with a one-out single to center in the top of the first. The sophomore then stole second and moved to third on the errant throw down. Kamdyn Kvistad then scored Brasher with a sacrifice fly to right giving the Jags a 1-0 advantage.
- Kristyn Eckl walked to start the bottom half of the third for Kent State, and Jade Ramer, pinch running for Eckl, was moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, KSU loaded the bases after a base hit and a walk, but Hughen was able to get out of the jam as she induced a pop out to short to end the inning.
- South Alabama batted around and erupted for six runs on five hits in the top of the fourth. Kennedy Cronan led off the inning with a single back up the middle and Kassidy Wilcox reached on a fielder's choice to put a pair of runners on for South. Abby Krzywiecki then blasted a 1-1 offering deep over the wall in center to score three and extend the Jaguar lead to 4-0. The home run was the 10th of her Jaguar career.
- Belle Wolfenden followed the Krzywiecki blast with a walk and two more runs later came around to score on back-to-back RBI doubles by Caroline Nichols and Brasher (6-0).RBI double. Kvistad laced a single through the right side of the infield scoring Brasher to make it 7-0.
- Kent State answered back in the bottom half of the inning as Eckl homered to left with two outs, plating a pair of runs (7-2).
- South wasted little time responding as Wilcox homered off the first pitch she saw from Kent State reliever Grace Saupe to extend the lead back out to six (8-2). The home run was the first of the Brantley, Ala., native's career.
- Kerschner reached on an infield single to begin the bottom half of the fifth, and with one out Brooklyn Whitt lined a double to left to put both runners in scoring position. Brenna Brownfield then plated a run (8-3) with an RBI ground out.
- Meredith Keel doubled to right to begin the sixth, and Nichols put runners at the corners with an infield single – her third hit of the night. Nichols then stole second to move herself into scoring position and pinch hitter plated Keel with a sacrifice fly to left. Nichols crossed home plate as the next pitch was wild making it 10-3 in favor of South Alabama.
- Kvistad then earned a free pass and moved to third on Cronan's single back up the middle. The third wild pitch of the inning put runners at second and third.

NOTES
- Brasher (3-for-3) was perfect at the plate and scored two runs, while driving in a run and a stolen base. The three hits – which tied a career high – also marked the sixth multi-hit outing of the season for the Orange Beach, Ala., native, and the 11th of her career.
- With her 2-for-4 showing at the plate, Nichols set a new career best in hits, while also delivering her first double to go along with two runs scored, a RBI and a stolen base.
- The two hits for Cronan marked the 20th career multi-hit effort for the Jag shortstop, moving her into a tie for 25th in the
- Krzywiecki was 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a home run. It was the 10th multi-hit game and her 12th multi-RBI game of her career.
- The two RBI marked the 20th multi-RBI game of her career.
- The two-home run game by South marked the third time this spring that the Jaguars have hit multiple home runs in the same game (vs. Missouri and vs. Northern Iowa).
- The 10 runs were a season high in runs for South Alabama.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On Saturday's two games against Kent State:
"I thought we had great itching in both games. Obviously, in game two, we played better defensively and were able to put up the big inning in the fourth. Hopefully game one was a lesson learned for us about making adjustments offensively and we will continue to take steps forward tomorrow."

Outfielder Caroline Nichols
- On her approach at the plate:
"I went up to the plate knowing that I had a job to do and I wasn't trying to overthink things. I knew what my approach should be thanks to the scouting report given to us by coach [Kristina] McCain."
- On the team's approach in game two:
"After our talk as a team following the first game, we realized that we were trying to do too much and weren't sticking to the approach that we needed to. In the second game, I feel that we did a lot better in the second game with swinging at the pitches that we needed to and laying off the pitches that we needed to."

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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