MOBILE, Ala. – Victoria Ortiz had three hits and drove in four runs and Kamdyn Kvistad had a pair of this and drove in three, while Olivia Lackie tossed a two-hit, complete-game, shutout as the University of South Alabama softball team closed out the regular season with 9-0 six-inning victory over Troy at the Troy Softball Complex Saturday afternoon.

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (24-19, 16-6 SBC) will open up postseason play next week when they host the Sun Belt Conference Championships (May 10-14) at Jaguar Field. 

Date: 5/7
Place: Troy Softball Complex (Troy, Ala.)

Final Score: South Alabama 9, Troy 0 (6 inn.)
Records: South Alabama (24-19, 16-6 SBC), Troy (29-19, 15-12 SBC)
Pitchers of Record: WP – Olivia Lackie (14-7)  LP – Leanna Johnson (19-11)
Home Runs: USA: Victoria Ortiz (10), Kamdyn Kvistad (7)

SCORING
- USA (3rd Inn.) | Ortiz homered to left center, 3 RBI; Caroline Nichols scored from second, Mackenzie Brasher scored from first (2-0, 0 out)
- USA (5th Inn.) | Ortiz tripled to right, RBI; Brasher scored from first (4-0, 0 out)
- USA (5th Inn.) | Kvistad homered to left, 2 RBI; Ortiz scored from third (6-0, 0 out)
- USA (5th Inn.) | Belle Wolfenden singled up the middle, RBI; Meredith Keel scored from second (7-0, 1 out)
- USA (6th Inn.) | Kvistad doubled to right, RBI; Oritz scored from second (8-0, 0 out)
- USA (6th Inn.) | Kassidy Wilcox (pinch hitter) singled back up the middle, RBI; Kvistad scored from third (9-0, 2 out)

GAME FACTS
- Keel tripled – her second of the series – to lead off the Jag second, and Gabby Stagner walked to put runners at the corners. Stagner moved into scoring position on a foul out to left one batter later, but Johnson was able to get out of the jam and leave the runners at second and third after back-to-back foul outs ended the inning.
- South Alabama got the first two runners aboard for the second straight inning the next time up as Nichols and Brasher singled to begin the frame. Ortiz then registered the third hit of the inning as she drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left center to put the Jags up 3-0.
- Taylor McKinney dropped in a one-out single to right in the bottom of the fourth to record the first hit of the game for the Trojans and later stole second to become the first Troy base runner to move into scoring position, but Lackie was able to get Audra Thompson looking to end the inning.
- Brasher beat out an infield single to lead off the fifth, and Ortiz then recorded her third hit in as many at-bats as she tripled to right to make it 4-0. Kvistad wasted little time extending the lead even more as she blasted her seventh home run of the season to plate Ortiz and make it 6-0. Keel followed with her second hit of the game and Stagner walked. Two batters later, Wolfenden lined a single back up the middle to score Keel from second (7-0).
- South Alabama added a pair of runs on three hits in the sixth. Ortiz was hit by a pitch – her fourth time to reach in as many plate appearances – and Kvistad then went the opposite way and doubled to right to plate the first run of the inning. Two batters later, Wilcox delivered her third pinch hit RBI of the series as she singled back up the middle to extend the lead to 9-0.
- Ortiz reached all four of her plate appearances as she was a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, a triple and a single, while she also posted four RBI and scored three times.
- Brasher, Kvistad, Keel and Wolfenden also finished with two hits apiece. 
- Both of Kvistad's hits went for extra bases – home run and a double – while she drove in three and scored twice.
- Lackie tossed her 15th complete game of the season and the eighth shutout as she allowed just three base runners – two hits and a walk – while striking out nine on just 87 pitches.
- After only getting ahead 0-2 in the count one time in the series opener, the sophomore was able to jump out 0-2 nine times with five of her strikeouts coming on those counts.

NOTES
- Keel has now recorded five triples this spring, which ties former Jags Emily Messer (2016) and Amanda Minahan (2015) for the most in a single season at South Alabama.
- The 11 triples this season by the Jaguars are the most since the 2017 campaign when South recorded 12.
- Nichols has recorded at least one hit in 10 of her last 12 outings, and 17 of her 22 conference games.
- Brasher has also recorded at least one hit in 18 of her 22 Sun Belt outings.
- The three-run home run by Ortiz was the 20th of her career and the 55th extra-base hit of her Jaguar career.
- The four-RBI performance was the team-leading eighth multi-RBI outing of the season and the 19th of her career which is tied for 15th-most all-time.
- The two-run homer by Kvistad extended her program-leading mark to 35. It was also the 60th extra-base hit of her career and she then recorded her 61st career extra-base hit with her RBI double in the top of the sixth. She now has 125 RBI for her career.
- Kvistad now has 30 multi-RBI games in her career, which are tied for third-most in program history, while she has also recorded 37 multi-hit games.
- With her two hits, Brasher now has 30 career multi-hit games.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Becky Clark
- On bouncing back: 
"We bounced back today in a big way and we needed that momentum going into the tournament.  Vic [Ortiz] and Kam [Kvistad] had a big day at the plate and I thought Liv [Lackie] was really good today. We were able to get some production from the bottom of the order and the bench as well. All good things for us heading into next week."

Senior OF Victoria Ortiz
- On her and the offense's performance today: 
"Today I wanted to do nothing but compete and fight for my teammates. I did whatever I had to to help us win and that's what we all did. Our goal was to attack no matter our circumstances."
- On the team bouncing back after the first two games of the series: 
"The way we responded today was huge. We wanted to play for each and that's what we did. Of course, we don't like losing the series, but today was a good win for us going into the conference tournament next week.

Sophomore P Olivia Lackie
- On her performance in the circle: 
"I thought I had a good outing in the circle today; I just trusted my pitches and the defense working behind me to get it done."
- On the team bouncing back after the first two games of the series: 
"I thought it was huge that we responded with a run-rule victory after the last two games as it gives us something to build off of going into conference tournament."

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—