Box Score 1 CLEARWATER, Fla. | Tied heading into the final inning, the South Alabama softball team rallied back with a pair of runs to pick up its first victory of the season, a 5-3 decision over St. John's on day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic held at Eddie C. Moore Complex.

In game two of the day, South Alabama's (1-2) game against Tennessee was halted with one on and one out and the Jags batting in the bottom of the second inning. The Volunteers were leading 5-2, and since the game hadn't reached the required innings played standard, the game was declared a no contest and will not be resumed.

Postgame Quotes
South Alabama head coach Becky Clark
- On bouncing back with the win: "After two touch losses yesterday, we needed to respond today. Our pitching kept us in the game and offensively we go the timely hits. Tomorrow will be another big game for us and we look forward to closing out the tournament against another competitive opponent."

Game 1 – South Alabama 5, St. John's 3
The Jaguars used a late-inning rally to pick up their first win of the season as South scored a pair of runs in the top half of the seventh. With two on and the game tied, Meredith Keel lined a single to center scoring Marley Sims from second. The Jags scored their second run of the inning on the play as the throw in from center was errant, allowing Mackenzie Brasher to race around the bases and score from first to put South up 5-2.

Keel recorded her second multi-hit game of the season as she was 2-for4 at the plate with an RBI double. Brasher and Sasha Willems each had a hit and scored a pair of runs, while the latter also drove in a run. Gabby Stagner also had a double and an RBI, while Odalys Cordova drove in a run and had a hit as well.

Jenna Hardy (1-0) picked up the win in relief as she allowed just an unearned run on four hits, while striking out a pair.

South Alabama put up single runs in the top of the first and fourth innings, after an RBI sac bunt by Willems and an RBI double off the bat of Stagner.

St. John's tied the contest back up with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth after pinch runner Maeve Marra scored on a fielder's choice and pinch hitter Sabrina Seaton walked with the bases loaded.

The Jags retook the lead (3-2) in their half of the sixth as Cordova laced a single to left to score Willems from second.  The Red Storm answered back with a run in the bottom half of the frame as London Jarrad singled through the right side of the infield to plate a run and tie the contest up at 3-3.

Scoring Summary
•    1st Inn | Willlems out at first 1b to 2b, SAC, bunt, RBI; Brasher scored (1-0, USA)
•    3rd Inn | Stagner doubled to right center, RBI; Willlem scored (2-0, USA)
•    4th Inn | Ana Serafinko reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; Natalie Casto out at second 2b to ss; Marra scored (2-1, STJ)
•    4th Inn | Seaton walked, RBI; Sydney Totarsky advanced to second; Katie Whittaker advanced to third; Serafinko scored, unearned (2-2, STJ)
•    6th Inn | Cordova singled to left field, out at second lf to 3b to 2b, RBI; Willlems scored. (3-2, USA)
•    6th Inn | Jarrard, singled through the right side, RBI (1-0 B); Whittaker scored (3-3, STJ)
•    7th Inn | Keel singled to center field, advanced to third, RBI; Brasher advanced to third, scored on a throwing error by cf, unearned; Sims scored, unearned. (5-3, USA)

Postgame Notes
•    Brasher extended her hit streak to five games dating back to the end of last season with a single in the top of the seventh
•    Keel recorded her second multi-hit game of the season, the 26th of her Jaguar career and the 38th of her overall collegiate career dating back to her time at Wright State
•    With her 26 career multi-hit games at South, the third baseman is now tied with former Jag Julie Moss (2011-14) for 21st in the category.
•    With her RBI, Willems now leads the team with four RBI on the season
•    St. John's had four batters reach base after they were hit by pitch
•    The Red Storm left 10 runners on base and were just 3-for-16 with runners on, including 2-of-11 with runners in scoring position
•    The meeting was just the second in the series with the only other coming back at during the 2010 season at the Georgia Softball Classic in Athens, Ga.
•    With the win, South Alabama improves to 10-2 all-time against current Big East Conference members

Game 2 – South Alabama vs. Tennessee (No Contest)
The second game of the day for the Jags was suspended and then declared a no contest after inclement weather moved into the Clearwater, Fla., area with Tennessee holding a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the second. 

The game will not be rescheduled and the stats will not be counted as the game did not reach the required distance in order to be declared official.

(Recap prior to play being halted)
Tennessee pushed across a pair of runs in the top half of the first to take the early lead on a fielder's choice and an RBI single by Destiney Rodriguez. The Volunteers added three more runs their next time up scoring on RBI hits from McKenna Gibson (single to left) and Rodriguez (double to center).

Jags had a scoring opportunity in the bottom half of the first, moving a pair of runners in scoring position, but Vol starter Nicola Simpson was able to get a ground out to third to end the frame.

South Alabama got the offense going again in the second. Stagner worked the count full and walked to lead off the inning. The sophomore then came around to score on a double by Victoria Ortiz to right center. Ortiz then advanced on a wild pitch and came home on another wild pitch on ball four to South Alabama's Bailey Welch. With one out and Welch on base, the game was then halted.

Scoring Summary
•    1st Inn | Rodriguez singled through the left side, RBI; Zaida Puni advanced to second; Gibson advanced to third; Mackenzie Donihoo scored. (0-1, UT)
•    1st Inn | Jamison Brockenbrough reached on a fielder's choice; Rodriguez advanced to second; Puni advanced to third; Gibson scored on a fielding error by c, assist by ss, unearned. (0-2, UT)
•    2nd Inn | Gibson singled to left field, RBI; Giulia Koutsoyanopulos scored (0-3, UT)
•    2nd Inn | Rodriguez doubled to center field, RBI; Puni advanced to third; Shakara Goodloe scored (0-4, UT)
•    2nd Inn | Puni scored on a wild pitch (0-5, UT)
•    2nd Inn | Victoria Ortiz doubled to right center, RBI; Stagner scored (1-5, USA)
•    2nd Inn | Bailey Welch walked; Ortiz scored on a wild pitch (2-5, USA)
•    PLAY SUSPENDED AND GAME DECLARED A NO CONTEST

Up Next
•    South Alabama will close out competition at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a single game against Indiana. First pitch versus the Hoosiers is set for 11:30 a.m. (CT).

FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama Softball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaSB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaSB (Facebook), @SouthAlabamaSB (Instagram) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com.