TROY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team dropped a 3-0 Sun Belt Conference decision Wednesday night to Troy at the Troy Softball Complex.

Leanna Johnson (15-3) tossed a two-hit, complete-game, shut out for the Trojans as she struck out 11 and didn't issue a walk.

Victoria Ortiz (double) and Meredith Keel (single) registered the lone hits in the loss for the Jaguars.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (18-12, 6-4 SBC) will continue its four-game road stretch and open a three-game Sun Belt series on Friday at Texas State. First pitch of the opener versus the Bobcats is set for 6 p.m. at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

SOUTH ALABAMA at TROY
Date: 4/7
Place: Troy Softball Complex (Troy, Ala.)

Final Score: Troy 3, South Alabama 0
Records: Troy (26-6, 10-0 SBC), South Alabama (18-12, 6-4 SBC)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Leanna Johnson (15-3)  LP – Olivia Lackie (11-6)

GAME FACTS
- Mia Jenkins lined a ball back up the middle and Candela Figueroa followed with a single that dropped in left to put a pair of runners on with one out in Troy's half of the second, but Lackie answered back with a pair of strikeouts to work out of the jam.
- Jade Sinness led off the bottom of the third with her 11th double of the season, and with two outs, the Trojan center fielder moved up a base on a passed ball. Kelly Horne then beat out an infield hit to score Sinness and give Troy the 1-0 advantage.
- Jenkins walked to start the bottom of the fourth, and Figueroa's hard-hit single over third placed runners at first and second with no outs. Two batters later, Logan Calhoun doubled the Trojan lead (2-0) as she lined a single to center to score pinch runner Kaylee Chapman. Katie Lively plated another run and extended the lead for Troy to 3-0 as with a two-out RBI single to left.
- With one out in the top of the fifth, Victoria Ortiz doubled to the gap in left center, ending Johnson's attempt at a perfect game. Prior to the extra-base hit, Johnson had sat down the first 13 Jaguar batters that she had faced. Later in the inning, Ortiz advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Johnson was able to record her eighth strikeout of the game – third of the inning – to leave the Jag runner stranded.
- Horne led off the next half inning with a double – her team-leading 13th of the season – that dropped just fair inside the left field foul line. With the bases loaded and two away, Lackie left the bags full as she was able to get Calhoun swinging for her seventh strikeout of the game.
- Meredith Keel lined a hard-hit single back up the middle on the first pitch of the seventh. She moved into scoring position one batter later on a ground out, but Johnson preserved her shutout as she ended the game with her 10th and 11th strikeouts.

NOTES
- The meeting marked the 40th in the all-time series between the two in-state foes and 20th on the Trojans home field.
- South and Troy are also scheduled to meet during the final weekend of the regular season (May 6-7) in Mobile.
- The Trojans are also set to host the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championship (May 11-15) at the Troy Softball Complex.
- Jaguar shortstop Kennedy Cronan had her seven-game reached base safely streak come to an end.
- The double by Ortiz was the 20th of her South Alabama career.
- The last time South Alabama was shutout in three consecutive Sun Belt Conference games came during the 2017 season against Texas State (4/8-9).
- Johnson retired the side in order each of the first four innings and five of the seven on the night.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the loss:
"Tough loss tonight. We have to learn from it and get better going into this weekend."

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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