CLEARWATER, Fla. | The South Alabama softball rallied back to pick up a walk-off win, 3-2 over St. John's in the opener, but saw Missouri score six unanswered runs, including four over the last two frames to defeat the Jags, 6-3 in the nightcap on day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On Saturday's games: "We played two close games today. We found a way to win the first one and let the second one get away from us. I thought both games were great learning opportunities for us. Tomorrow is an opportunity for us to bounce back after a tough loss tonight. We need to finish out the weekend the right way."
Game 1 – South Alabama 3, St. John's 2
St. John's (0-3) scored a run in each of the first two innings, but South Alabama (3-0) battled back and picked up its third win of the season on a one-out, walk-off single from
Sasha Willems in the bottom of the seventh.
Olivia Lackie (2-0) picked up the win in relief as she pitched two perfect innings, striking out four of the six batters she faced.
Brooklynn Bockhaus drove in two of South Alabama's three runs,
Gabby Stagner and
Olivia Branstetter had two hits apiece.
How It Happened
• St. John's pushed across an unearned run in the opening frame. Jess Bianco reached on an error and then came around to score two batters later when Anese Thompson dropped in a base hit in shallow right that was just out of the reach of Bockhaus.
• The Red Storm put runners at second and third after back-to-back hits to start the frame and with one away, Sydney Totarsky came into score on a wild pitch (STJ, 2-0).
• The Jaguars got a run back in the bottom of the second as
Odalys Cordova scored from third when Bockhaus reached on a fielder's choice after St. John's was unable to turn the double play (STJ, 2-1)
• With one out in its half of the fourth, Elanna Lysaik and Totarsky doubled and singled, respectively, but Branstetter made back-to-back defensive plays at third to help get South out of the inning.
• After making the two defensive plays to end the top half of the inning, Branstetter dropped in her second double of the contest, this one in left center to start things off for the Jags.
Shelby Garrett then reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners with one away, but Hannah Mearns was able to get a pair of fly outs to right to preserve the one-run lead for the Red Storm.
• Cordova led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left and then was moved up to third one batter later on a ground out to second. The Jag second baseman then came into score on Bockhaus' sac fly, tying the game at 2-2.
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Mackenzie Brasher reached on an infield single in the bottom of the seventh and Stagner then singled through the left side of the infield to put runners at first and second with one out. Willems then laced a single through the left side of the infield that scored Brasher from second (USA, 3-2).
Postgame Notes
• The meeting versus the Red Storm marked the third in the all-time series and the second-straight at the NFCA Leadoff Classic
• Both teams combined to leave 11 runners left on base and were a combined 5-for-21 with runners in scoring position
• Branstetter, Brasher, Stagner and Willems have now each reached base safely in all three games
• Stagner has had two or more hits in each of the first three games
• The multi-RBI game was the first of Bockhaus' Jaguar career
• With her seventh-inning single, Brasher (171) moved passed Tara Donaldson (170, 2007-09) for sixth place on South's career hits list
• The walk-off hit was the second of Willems' career
Game 2 – (RV) Missouri 6, South Alabama 3
South Alabama (3-1) jumped out to a three-run lead, but Missouri (4-0) rallied back to pick up a 6-3 win after tying the game in the sixth and then taking the lead with a three-run seventh inning.
Missouri pitcher Cierra Harrison (2-0) tossed four innings of one-hit, scoreless ball to pick up the win in relief for the Tigers. Kara Daly homered twice and drove in four to lead the comeback for Missouri.
Stagner, Branstetter and Willems each had a hit and drove in a run for the Jaguars in the loss.
How It Happened
• Branstetter gave the Jaguars the early lead when she homered over the fence in left (USA, 1-0) driving a 2-2 pitch from Missouri starter Marissa McCann on the seventh-pitch of the at-bat.
• The Jaguars placed runners at the corners with one out in the third after
Marley Sims singled back up the middle and Brasher reached on an error. Stagner then dropped in a single in shallow right, scoring Sims and extending the lead to 2-0. Willems then ripped a single to center, scoring Stagner from second to make it 3-0.
• Missouri answered back the next half inning with a pair of runs. Madison Walker with hit by a pitch with one away and Kara Daly followed with a two-run homer deep to center field (USA, 3-2)
• Cordova led off the bottom half of the fourth with an infield single and then moved into scoring position one pitch later as she stole second.
• Alex Honnold led off the Missouri sixth with a single through the right side of the infield and Walker then drew a walk to put a pair on for the Tigers. The Tigers then loaded the bases after an infield single by Julia Crenshaw. After a strikeout, Lackie looked as if she might leave the bases full, but her 2-2 pitch was down in the dirt and got away from Willems, allowing Honnold to score and tie the game at 3-3.
• Missouri put runners at the corners with one out in the seventh after a walk to Jenna Laird and a single to right off the bat of Honnold. Walker then lifted a ball to foul territory in left that was deep enough to score Laird from third and give the Tigers the 4-3 lead. With a full count, Daly recorded her second home run of the evening, another two-run shot, this one to left (MIZZ, 6-3).
Postgame Notes
• The meeting was the fourth in the all-time series between the two clubs
• Missouri is the first of five opponents from the SEC that South is scheduled to play this season
• Four of Branstetter's five hits this season have gone for extra bases – three doubles and a home run
• Harrison allowed just two base runners – a hit and a walk – to the 14 batters she faced
• Stagner, Willems and Branstetter each extended their hit streaks to four games
• The trio has also driven in at least one run in three of South's first four games this spring
Up Next
• South Alabama will close out competition at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday when the Jaguars face Central Arkansas at 12 p.m. (CT).
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