MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. | Behind home runs off the bats of Victoria Ortiz and Meredith Keel, the South Alabama softball team rallied back from a two-run deficit to pick up a 3-2 win over Princeton Sunday morning at THE Spring Games at R.O.C. Park.

South Alabama's (16-9) Olivia Lackie tossed two scoreless innings of relief and struck out four for her eighth career save. Jenna Hardy (8-5) picked up the win for the Jags, while Alexis Laudenslager (1-6) took the loss after striking out 11.

Bailey Welch reached all three of her plate appearances as she was 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.

Quotable – Graduate Senior 3B Meredith Keel
- On the two-run home run: "I was seeing the ball really well out of the pitcher's hand today. I knew she was going to give me a pitch to drive. I was proud of Bailey (Welch) for working to get on to lead off the inning. When I stepped up to the plate, I was ready to bring her in."

- On the defensive plays at the plate to prevent Princeton from being able to expand its lead: "Defensively, Princeton was trying to speed us up with their small ball. Preventing those runs from scoring was huge for us, because we started to slow them down, and it allowed us to do what we do best and just go play for the play in front of us."

Redshirt-Senior RF Victoria Ortiz
- On her fourth-inning home run sparking the club: "We definitely didn't come out and get off to the start that we wanted to, and started out slow. I knew I needed to step up anyway that I could. I'm glad I was able to help my team in the way I did. I couldn't be prouder of Meredith Keel because she stepped up big for us with her home run as well. We did what we needed to in order to win the game, and now we can head home to get ready for conference play."

- On tying the program's career extra-base hit record with the home run: "Tying the extra-base mark is a really cool achievement. I really take pride in my offensive game, so tying it is something I'm very proud of."

South Alabama 3, Princeton 2
Princeton (4-9) took the early lead with a run in the top of the first. Julia Dumais lined a one-out double to center, scoring Serena Starks – who had reached on a bunt single to start the game – from second. The Tigers threatened to add to their lead with runners at second and third, but the Jags were able to get an out at the plate on a fielder's choice and Hardy then struck out the next batter to end the frame.

The Tigers loaded the bases with no outs after back-to-back walks and a fielder's choice, and with one out in the inning, Allison Ha dropped in a single in shallow center to score a run and make it 2-0 in favor of Princeton. South was able to throw out a second runner at the plate on the play.

Welch led off the bottom of the third with a single back up the middle and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. After moving to third on a fly out to center moved Welch to third, Alexis Laudenslager got a fly out to center to strand the runner and end the inning.

Ortiz cut the deficit in half (1-2) with her one-out, solo homer to right center in the Jags half of the fourth inning.

For her second time in as many at-bats, Welch led off the bottom of the fifth with a single as she beat the throw to first on a bunt. Two batters later, Keel lifted a ball that went over the fence in center for a two-run, home run – the second of her career. 

Scoring Summary
•    1st Inn | Dumais doubled to center, RBI; Starks scored (0-1, PU)
•    2nd Inn | Ha singled to center, RBI; Lauren Papport scored (0-2, PU)
•    4th Inn | Ortiz homered to left center, RBI (1-2, USA)
•    5th Inn | Keel homered to center, 2 RBI; Welch scored (3-2, USA)

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting versus the Tigers marked the first in the all-time series between the two programs
•    It was also the fifth time the Jags have faced a current Ivy League school member with those other four meeting coming against Dartmouth (3-1)
•    Keel has had at least one hit in 17 of South's 25 games
•    The two-hit performance marked the 31st multi-hit game of Keel in her South Alabama career – tying her with two other players for 18th all-time – and the 43rd of her collegiate career
•    Keel's home run was her first since April 22, 2022 at ULM
•    It was also the sixth home run the spring by the Jags that has either tied the game or given the club the lead
•    Cordova has had a hit in six of her last seven with her fourth-inning single, and reached base safely in each of her last eight outings
•    With her home run, Ortiz now has 69 career extra-base hits (39-3-27) matching the program record held by Brittney Fowler (69, 34-10-25 – 2010-13)
•    Coming into the game, Princeton's Laudenslager had allowed just two home runs over her first seven starts, but South was able to hit a pair on Sunday
•    The save for Lackie marked the eighth of her career, moving her into a tie for second in the category at South
•    All four of the Tigers' hits came from the first four spots in the batting order as the 5-9 spots were a combined 0-for-10
•    After allowing four hits and issuing a pair of walks over the first inning and two-thirds, the Jaguar pitchers allowed just two base runners – a pair of walks – over the final five and a third innings, recording six of their seven strikeouts over that stretch

Up Next
•    South Alabama returns home to open up Sun Belt Conference play with a three-game series versus Georgia State on Friday with first pitch of game one versus the Panthers set for 6 p.m.

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.
  Read Full Article