STATESBORO, Ga. – Bailee Wilson delivered a two-out, RBI-single to right in the bottom of the eighth inning to help Georgia Southern secure the series win with a 4-3 victory over the University of South Alabama softball team Saturday afternoon at Eagle Field.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (25-15, 12-7 SBC) will close out the series with the Eagles on Sunday. First pitch of the series finale is set for 11:30 a.m. (CT) at Eagle Field.

SOUTH ALABAMA at GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Date: 5/1
Place: Eagle Field (Statesboro, Ga.)

Final Score: Georgia Southern 4, South Alabama 3 (8 inn.)
Records: Georgia Southern (13-25, 5-14 SBC), South Alabama (25-15, 12-7 SBC)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Harlee Rewis (2-2)   LP – Jenna Hardy (2-2)
Home Runs: USA: Abby Krzywiecki (7); GS: Janai Conklin (4), Anniston Johnson (4)

GAME FACTS
- Meredith Keel singled to center with one out in the opening frame, and with two outs Krzywiecki unloaded on the first pitch she saw to put the Jaguars up 2-0. South Alabama then drew three-straight walks from Kamdyn Kvistad, Abby Allen and Kennedy Cronan to load the bases, but GS starting pitcher Rylee Waldrep was able to get a strikeout to end the inning and limit any further damage.
- Janai Conklin cut the Jaguar lead in half (2-1) with a one-out home run to left – her fourth of the season – in GS's half of the second.
- Krsywiecki reached safely for the second-straight time as she drew a one-out walk in the third, and two batters later, Allen doubled the gap in right center to put a pair of Jaguars in scoring position with two away, and Cronan walked, but Waldrep was able to get a foul out to end the inning and leave three stranded.
- Ashlynn Gunter reached on a one-out single to right and Mekhia Freeman followed with a single back up the middle in the bottom of the third. Bailee Wilson then singled in Gunter – her fourth run driven in of the series – to tie the game at 2-2.
- Cronan drew a leadoff walk to start the sixth for South Alabama, and pinch runner Bailey Welch was moved into scoring position on Belle Wolfenden's sacrifice bunt. Jaguar pinch hitter Shelby Sloan then broke the 2-2 tie with a single to center that allowed Welch to score from second.
- With two outs the next half inning, Conklin nearly tied the game back up as she flirted with her second homer, but Nichols made the grab at the wall to end the inning and maintain the one-run lead for South.
- Victoria Ortiz lined a single back up the middle to start the Jaguar seventh and moved into scoring position on Krzywiecki's sacrifice bunt. Ortiz moved up a base on batter later on a fly out to right, but Freeman made a nice grab in center to end the inning and prevent the run from scoring.
- Not being able to push across the insurance run in the top half of the inning would cost the Jags. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Johnston tied the game back up at 3-3 as she drove a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left.
- Gunter led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to right. Pinch runner Alisha House moved to third on Freeman's sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Wilson plated the game winner for the Eagles with a single to right to score House and give GS the 4-3 win.

NOTES
- Saturday's game marked the first in the series to go extra innings. It was the fourth extra inning game this year for the Jaguars as they are now 2-2 in those contests.
- The two-run, first-inning home run was her seventh of the spring and the 16th of her career, moving her into 10th place. Four of her seven home runs this season have either given the Jags the lead or broke a tie.
- Krzywiecki's home run was also the sixth first-pitch homer of the year by a South Alabama player.
- The multi-RBI game was the eighth of the spring for Krzywiecki and the 18th of her career, which is tied for 15th with former Jag Haleigh Lowe (2015-18) on the career list at South.
- The pinch hit was the second of the spring for Sloan and her first RBI in that situation. It was also the eighth pinch-hit RBI by a Jag.
- South Alabama left nine runners on base and were just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
- Cronan drew three of South Alabama's six walks in the game. The six walks tied a career high for the Jaguar shortstop as she also walked three times against Georgia (2/12/21).
- With her two hits, Keel posted her 13th multi-hit game of the season for the Jaguars. It was also the 25th of her collegiate career.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the loss:
"Jenna [Hardy] pitched well enough today for us to win. Shelby Sloan came through with a big pinch hit for us, but I have to do a better job of coaching."

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.

—USA—