LEESBURG, Fla. – Liberty scored five runs over the first two innings, highlighted by a four-run second, en route to an 8-2 victory over the University of South Alabama softball team Sunday morning on the final day of THE Spring Games held at the Sleepy Hollow Softball Complex.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (1-8) will travel to Starkville, Miss., to compete in The Snowman – Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament hosted by Mississippi State, Feb. 25-27. The Jaguars will open up with Belmont and Longwood on day one of the tourney. First pitch versus the Bruins is set for 10 a.m., with first pitch versus Lancers set for 12:30 p.m. (CT) at Nusz Field.

THE Spring Games
Date: 2/20
Place: Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex (Leesburg, Fla.)

Final Score: Liberty 8, South Alabama 2
Records: Liberty (5-5), South Alabama (1-8)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Karlie Keeney (3-2)  LP – Allie Hughen (0-2)
Home Runs: LIB: Caroline Hudson (1); Raigan Barrett (1)

SCORING
- LIB (1st Inn.) | Hudson homered to left, RBI (0-1, 2 out)
- LIB (2nd Inn.) | Rachel Craine hit by pitch, RBI; Denay Griffin scored from third (0-2, 0 out)
- LIB (2nd Inn.) | Kara Canetto singled up the middle, advanced to second on the throw, 2 RBI; Craine scored from second; Keeney scored from third.  (0-4, 1 out)
- LIB (2nd Inn.)  Devin Howard flied out to center, sacrifice fly, RBI; Barrett scored from third (0-5, 2 out)
- LIB (4th Inn.) | Barrett homered to center field, RBI (0-6, 2 out)
- LIB (4th Inn.) | Cannetto scored from first on a fielding error on a fly out to center (0-7, 2 out)
- LIB (4th Inn.) | Hudson singled through the right side, RBI; Howard scored from second, unearned (0-8, 2 outs)
- USA (4th Inn.) | Victoria Ortiz doubled to left, 2 RBI; Abby Allen scored from second and pinch runner Erin McGlothlin scored from first.

GAME FACTS
- Liberty scored five of its eight runs in the first two innings, plating four runs on two hits and a pair of walks in the its half of the second. The Flames also plated multiple runs in the top of the fourth. 
- The seven combined runs in the second and the fourth innings marked the first time this season a team has had two or more innings in which it has scored three or more runs in an inning.
- After allowing a leadoff single to Emma Kropp in the bottom of the second, Liberty's Keeney was able to record three-straight strikeouts looking to end the inning. South Alabama was able to get the leadoff batter aboard in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings.
- Seven of eight strikeouts by South Alabama came with a runner aboard.
- South was able to get two aboard in the bottom of the fourth and broke through on the scoring column on Ortiz's two-run double to left, cutting the deficit to 8-2.
- Liberty home run had two home runs in the game, marking just the second time this spring that an opponent has had multiple home runs in a game: LSU (4)
- Allen led the Jaguars at the plate as she recorded two hits in her three at bats with a double and scored a run.
- Liberty had a pair of players finish with multiple hits as Hudson posted three hits with a double and a home run and drove in a pair, while scoring a run.  Canetto also finished the day with two hits, two RBI and a run scored.
- The 1-3 hitters for the Flames posted five of their seven hits and drove in five runs.

NOTES
- Sunday marked just the second series meeting between the two clubs and was the 35th all-time against a current Atlantic Sun Conference member.
- The eight runs scored by the Flames tied for the most allowed by South this season: LSU (8)
- Ortiz fourth-inning double was the 25th of her career and moved her one spot shy of moving into the program's top-10 list in the category.
- The multi-RBI game for Ortiz was the 12th of her career and the multi-hit game was the third of Allen's career.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On the start to the season: 
"This has been a rough start, but I know what this group is capable of; I believe in what they are going to do. We have to compete through this right now and come out on the other side of it."

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—