MOBILE, Ala. | Gabby Stagner delivered a two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning and Olivia Lackie retired Nicholls in order in the top of the seventh as South Alabama rallied back from a two-run deficit to defeat the Colonels Tuesday evening at Jaguar Field in its final non-conference game of the spring.

Stagner was 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a pair of RBI to lead South Alabama (26-13), while Lackie (14-6) tossed three innings of one-hit ball in relief to pick up the win. With her four strikeouts, Lackie also tied former Jag Farish Beard (603, 2012-15) for fourth all-time at South in career strikeouts.

Aubrey McNeil (9-7) took the loss in relief for Nicholls (22-17).

Junior P Olivia Lackie
- On getting the win despite the team not having one of its better games: "It definitely wasn't our best game, but we showed grit and competed all the way to the end and laid it all out on the line."

- On coming in relief and shutting down Nicholls: "It's always a big deal to be able to come in and shut down an offense like that. Whenever I go out there, I just focus on getting outs for my teammates so we can get back in the dugout and try to score runs."

- On reaching the two pitching milestones: "I knew about the 600 strikeouts, but I didn't know I had tied Faris (Beard) for fourth all-time. That's huge and I'm really proud of that. Hopefully I can keep building on it."

Sophomore 1B Gabby Stagner
- On the team being able to pull out the win: "We've been talking a lot about working the middle of the field and going the opposite way, so I was just really focused on that today. When they walked Vic (Ortiz) in that situation, I knew I couldn't get big, so I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and drive it the opposite way."

- On getting back on the winning side heading into the App State series this weekend: "It was a good step forward for us as we head into the weekend series. Coming off three losses, it was good for us to get back in the win column. We just have to keep on rolling with it and get hits."

South Alabama 3, Nicholls 2
After Jag starter Jenna Hardy had retired the first 10 Colonel batters of the game – six via strikeout, Nicholls broke up the no-hit bid with three-straight one-out singles in the top of the fourth. Claire Sisco reached on an infield single and Erin Krause and Alexa Poche' followed with back-to-back singles to left that loaded the bases. Molly VandenBout then drew a walk to plate a run and give the Colonels a 1-0 lead. One batter later, Melise Gossen lifted a fly ball to center that was deep enough to bring home the second run of the inning (0-2).

Tal Evans walked to lead off the fifth for the Colonels, and pinch runner Samantha Gwiazda stole second to move into scoring position. Sisco walked three batters later to put a pair aboard, but Lackie was able to get a pop out on the infield to strand the two Nicholls runners. The junior entered the game in relief of Hardy and struck out the first batter she faced, marking the 600th strikeout of her career.

Stagner led off the bottom half of the fifth with her ninth double of the season, this one to the gap in right center. The hit by Stagner was the first of the game by the Jaguars. Odalys Cordova then lined a single to right, scoring Stagner and cutting the deficit in half (1-2).

VandenBout reached with a one-out single to left – her second hit of the night – and MaKynli Miller drew a two-out walk, but Lackie answered back with a strikeout to end the frame.

With a runner at second and two out in the bottom of the sixth, Sasha Willems kept the inning alive as she placed a ball just over the first baseman's head and reached when the bag was left uncovered, placing runners at the corners. Victoria Ortiz was then intentionally walked to load the bases, setting the table for Stagner. The sophomore first baseman came through with the clutch hit, singling through the right side of the infield to score Meredith Keel and Willems and give the Jags their first lead of the night.

Lackie recorded a 1-2-3 seventh for South to clinch the win, striking out the first two batters and then getting a fly out to left to end the game. Her strikeout of Abby Anderson in the inning was the 603rd strikeout of her Jaguar career, tying her with Beard.

Scoring Summary
•    4th Inn | VandenBout walked, RBI; Sisco score (0-1, NICH)
•    4th Inn | Gossen flied out to center, sacrifice, RBI; Krause scored (0-2, NICH)
•    5th Inn | Cordova singled to right, RBI; Stagner scored (1-2, USA)
•    6th Inn | Stagner singled through the right side of the infield, 2 RBI; Keel scored and Willems scored (3-2, USA)

Postgame Notes
•    With the win, South Alabama completed the season-series sweep of Nicholls and improve to 18-6
•    South has now won 16 of the last 17 meetings in the series
•    The win over the Colonels also improved the Jags to 3-0 this spring versus Southland opponents and was the 45th win all-time versus a SLC member
•    After recording 12 hits in the first meeting in Thibodaux, South was held to just four hits on Tuesday evening
•    Bailey Welch's two-out walk in the bottom half of the third marked the first base runner by either team
•    With her base hit, Cordova has had a hit in eight of her last 11, and reached base safely in nine of her last 10
•    The intentional walk to Ortiz extended her career-best reached base streak to 16 games
•    Willems has had at least one hit in five of her last seven, reaching base safely in six of those contests

Up Next
•    South Alabama will continue the current homestand this weekend with a three-game Sun Belt Conference series versus App State. First pitch of game one versus the Mountaineers is set for Friday evening at 6 p.m. at Jaguar Field.

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