STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of South Alabama softball team fell 2-0 in the series finale Sunday afternoon to Georgia Southern as the Eagles completed the sweep at Eagle Field.
Georgia Southern plated an unearned run in the first and added a solo home run in the sixth, while Aaliyah Garcia went the distance striking out five, while scattering three hits and a walk.
UP NEXT
- South Alabama (25-16, 12-8 SBC) will return home and concluded the 2021 regular season with a two-game series versus Troy. First pitch of game one versus the Trojans is set for 3 p.m. at Jaguar Field.
SOUTH ALABAMA at GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Date: 5/2
Place: Eagle Field (Statesboro, Ga.)
Final Score: Georgia Southern 2, South Alabama 0
Records: Georgia Southern (14-25, 6-14 SBC), South Alabama (25-16, 12-8 SBC)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Aaliyah Garcia (6-6) LP – Olivia Lackie (15-8)
Home Runs: GS: Allyssah Mullis (1)
GAME FACTS
- Bailey Welch lined a one-out double off the base of the wall in left center, but Garcia was able to get a pair of pop outs on the infield to end the first and leave the Jaguar runner stranded.
- Ashlynn Gunter singled to right to start the bottom half of the opening frame, and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. She later came home and scored an unearned run on Bailee Wilson's single and a Jaguar error (0-1).
- Jordyn Calderon dropped in a single in shallow center to start the third for the Jags and moved into scoring position two batters later on a ground out. Garcia though posted her second strikeout looking to end the inning.
- Janai Conklin reached on a one-out, bunt single in the bottom of the fourth, and Mullis followed with a walk to place a pair of Eagles on base, but Lackie was able to get Aniston Johnson on a called third strike and Jess Mazur to ground out to short.
- After trailing early on in the count, Jag pinch hitter Mackenzie Brasher worked the count full before drawing a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth for South. Camryn McLemore laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Brasher into scoring position, but Garcia got a fly out and end the inning.
- The Eagles put two more aboard and threatened to add to their lead with two outs after a hard-hit single back up the middle by Mekhia Freeman and a walk from Faith Shirley, but Lackie was able to get Wilson to foul out to Kassidy Wilcox.
- With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Georgia Southern double its advantage (0-2) as Mullis homered to left – her first of the spring.
NOTES
- Welch's first-inning double was the first double and the second extra-base hit of her career.
- Along with Welch, Meredith and Calderon recorded South's three hits.
- The series sweep by the Eagles is the first by either team in the all-time series since 2017.
- The Jaguars were 0-for-9 with runners on and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position leaving four runners on base in the loss.
THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the weekend:
"We beat ourselves all weekend. We had opportunities all three days and didn't get it done. There are no excuses - we just have to coach and play better."
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—
