Leading up to the start of the 2023 South Alabama softball season, we will preview all the position groups on the Jaguar roster.

The four-part series examines each position group ahead of the season-opening tournament, the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. This installment looks at South Alabama's pitchers.

RETURNING STARTERS (2)
- Jenna Hardy (Sr., 6-0, RHP) – Went 6-2 and tossed a pair of shutouts, allowing just eight walks in 42.2 innings of work in SBC play  
- Olivia Lackie (Jr., 6-0, RHP) – Ranked among the league leaders in the SBC in earned run average and opposing batting average (second), strikeouts and strikeouts looking — 69 (third), while her three saves were the most among any pitcher

OTHER RETURNING PLAYERS (2)
- Rachel Everett (R-Fr., 5-10, LHP) – Redshirted the 2022 season
- Kaitlyn Hughes (Jr., 5-7, LHP) – Made one relief appearance in 2022, picking up the win in the season-opener versus Central Arkansas

NEWCOMERS (1)
- Madison Lagle (Fr., 6-0, LHP) – Ranked No. 97 on Extra Inning Softball's 2022 Extra Elite 100 – her third time being selected to the list – after also being ranked No. 35 in 2021 and No. 43 in 2020

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
- Both Lackie (first) and Hardy (second) earned all-league honors in 2022, the first Jag pitching duo to do so in the same season since 2017 – Devin Brown (first) and Destin Vicknair (second)
- Lackie was named to Preseason D100 Player List by DI Softball earlier this month
- Lackie enters the season ranked second in career opponent's batting average (.182), and fifth in strikeouts (458), innings pitched (350.1), complete games (34), shutouts (16) and wins (34)
- Hardy finished in the top 10 among league pitchers in ERA and strikeouts looking (30 – 10th), while her 17 walks allowed were third fewest, and ranked in the top 50 nationally in walks allowed per seven innings (1.11 – 23rd) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.94 – 42nd) a year ago
- The South Alabama pitching staff ranked second in the league in opponent's batting average (.210) and third in ERA (2.59). They also allowed the fewest runs (133) and issued the fewest walks (87) in the Sun Belt

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