MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team earned a 3-1 victory Saturday afternoon to clinch its Sun Belt Conference series versus Georgia Southern at Jaguar Field on Senior Day. 

Prior to the contest, South Alabama honored six seniors: Kennedy Cronan, Janeah Finney, Allie Hughen, Meredith Keel, Caroline Nichols, Belle Wolfenden, along with redshirt sophomore Shelby Sloan, who is graduating in three years and student manager Victoria Howard.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (22-17, 14-4 SBC) will close out the series with the Eagles on Sunday with first pitch set for noon. 

Date: 4/30
Place: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)

Final Score: South Alabama 3, Georgia Southern 1
Records: South Alabama (22-17, 14-4 SBC), Georgia Southern (11-31, 4-16 SBC)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Jenna Hardy (8-8)  LP – Rylee Waldrep (5-13)
Home Runs: USA: Kamdyn Kvistad (5)

SCORING
- USA (1st Inn.) | Mackenzie Brasher reached on a fielding error; Caroline Nichols scored from first (1-0, 0 out)
- USA (1st Inn.) | Kamdyn Kvistad reached on a sacrifice bunt fielder's choice; Brasher scored from third, unearned (2-0, 1 out)
- USA (6th Inn.) | Kvistad homered to center, RBI (3-0, 1 out)
- GS (7th Inn.) | Faith Shirley doubled to center, RBI; Courtney Ball scored from third (3-1, 2 out)

GAME FACTS
- South Alabama used some aggressive base running and took advantage of a Georgia Southern error to take the early 2-0 lead without a hit. Nichols walked to start the frame and then came all the way around to score from first when Brasher reached on a fielding error at first. The second run of the inning came two batters later as Kvistad laid down a squeeze bunt and scored Brasher from third.
- Shelby Barfield recorded the first hit of the game for Georgia Southern with a leadoff single by Shelby Barfield in the third. She was sacrificed into scoring position, but Hardy didn't allow her to move passed second as she retired the next two batters.
- The Eagles recorded their second hit of the contest in the top of the fifth, but Hardy was able to induce an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
- Nichols broke up Waldrep's no-hit bit in the bottom of the fifth as she reached on a two-out infield single. 
- Georgia Southern's Chandler Caldwell had a pinch-hit, infield single in the Eagle sixth, but South was able to end the frame with another double play, this one a strike out-caught stealing.
- Hardy nearly recorded the shutout, but the Eagles were able to plate a two-out run in the top of the seventh and bring the tying run to the plate. Ball led off the inning with a double and after the next two batters were retired, Shirley doubled off the wall in center to bring in a run. With the potential tying run at the plate though, Hardy was able to get a line out to second to end the game.
- Kvistad had the home run and drove in two of South's three runs on the afternoon. 
- Nichols also reached base twice with a walk and a hit and scored a run.
- Hardy tossed her seventh complete game of the spring as she allowed just five hits and struck out three, while not issuing a walk.
- The junior Jag pitcher needed just 86 pitches.
- Georgia Southern's Waldrep allowed just two earned runs in her six innings in the circle, and held the Jags to just two hits and struck out four.

NOTES
- South Alabama has now won five of its six Sun Belt series this season, and the 14 SBC wins eclipse the program's win total (13) from a year ago.
- Nichols wasted little time extending her reached base safely streak to eight games as she walked to lead off the bottom half of the first.
- Nichols now has had a hit in seven of her last eight, four of which have been multi-hit efforts.
- The first-inning RBI by Kvistad was the 118th of her career, moving her into a tie for second-place all-time at South with former Jag Blair Johnson (2012-15).
- She later passed Johnson to move into second-place all alone with her sixth-inning solo home run as she has 119 RBI.
- The home run was the 33rd of Kvistad's career. Of her 33 home runs, 19 have come against Sun Belt competition.
- The two-RBI performance also marked the 28th multi-RBI game of her career, which is now tied with Meghan Collins (2010-13) for fifth all-time.
- Brasher had her 21-game reached base safely streak and 11-game hit streaks come to an end.
- The complete game marked the 11th of her Jaguar career.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On getting the series win and the game: 
"I thought there was quality pitching on both sides today and runs were at a premium. [Jenna] Hardy did a good job of not giving in; she had zero walks today. She worked behind in the count some, but never gave in. I thought that was big for her and I loved seeing her finish the game. I thought the defense stepped up big for us and made some plays that got us out of some innings. It's always great to win on Senior Day. We need to carry this over into tomorrow, get our bats going early and try to finish this thing out the right way."

Senior C Kamdyn Kvistad
- On the day being part of driving in two of the three runs: 
"The emotions were high today with it being Senior Day. Our main goal was to just come out and get on them [Georgia Southern] early. We wanted to have a good time and honor our seniors. Obviously, getting on the board early is big, especially in games like this. Getting the insurance run late was big also. We were working for each other and doing our best to get runs on the board."
- On what this senior group means to each other and the team: 
"This senior group is awesome. This team is very close and we have a great bond with one another. The girls are just a special group both on and off the field and it was great to honor them today."

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—