LEESBURG, Fla. – University of South Alabama softball senior utility player Kamdyn Kvistad set the program's career home run mark as she blasted the 29th of her career to cut the deficit to one in the sixth inning, but the Jaguars fell 2-1 to Butler on day two of THE Spring Games held at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (1-7) will close out play at THE Spring Games on Sunday versus Liberty. First pitch versus the Flames is set for 8 a.m. (CT). 

THE Spring Games
Date: 2/19
Place: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex (Leesburg, Fla.)

Final Score: Butler 2, South Alabama 1
Records: Butler 6-3, South Alabama 1-7
Pitchers of Record: WP – Alyssa Graves (1-1)    LP – Jenna Hardy (0-3)
Home Runs: USA: Kamdyn Kvistad (1)

SCORING
- BU (3rd Inn.) | Ellie Boyer sacrifice fly to foul ground in right, RBI; Monique Hoosen scored from third (0-1, 1 out)
- BU (3rd Inn.) | Bri Avery scored on a wild pitch (0-2, 2 out)
- USA (6th Inn.) | Kvistad homered to center, RBI (1-2, 1 out)

GAME FACTS
- Butler loaded the bases with three straight base hits to start the top of the third, and then plated the first run of the game on Boyer's sacrifice fly.
- South Alabama had an opportunity to get on the board after back-to-back infield singles from Mackenzie Brasher and Meredith Keel, but after the two runners were sacrificed into scoring position, Graves was able to get back-to-back strikeouts to work out of the jam.
- South had another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fifth with a runner at second two out in the inning, but Graves escaped without any damage with a fly out to left.
- Kvistad finally got South on the board and cut the deficit in half with her one-out home run to center in the sixth.
- Emma Kropp recorded her second hit of the afternoon with two outs in the seventh to put the tying run aboard and bring the potential game-winning run to the plate, but Graves again was able to get out of the inning as she ended the game with a strikeout. 
- The Jaguars were 1-for-6 in two-out situations and 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position as the Jags left five runners stranded.
- Olivia Lackie was outstanding in relief as she tossed 4.1 innings of hitless relief, allowing just one base runner (walk) and striking out three.
- She retired first 10 Bulldog batters she faced until issuing a leadoff walk to start the Bulldog seventh.
- Both Brasher and Kropp were 2-for-3 at the plate.

NOTES
- Kennedy Cronan's double in the second marked the 27th of her career moving her into a tie for eighth with former Jag Kristian Foster (2015-18).
- With her two hits, Brasher posted the 20th multi-hit game of her Jaguar career
- With her sixth-inning home run, Kvistad became the program's stand-alone career home run leader as she how has 29.
- The two-hit performance also marked the first multi-hit effort for Kropp.
- The meeting was the fifth in the all-time series versus the Bulldogs.
- It is just the second time that South has suffered defeat to a Big East opponent with both losses coming at THE Spring Games.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: 
"We had our opportunities today, but didn't come up with the big hit. Kam's [Kamdyn Kvistad] knock brought us within reach, but we were unable to push another across. We are better than we are playing and have to focus on getting better every time out."

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—