CLEARWATER, Fla. | South Alabama closed out the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a 3-2 victory over Central Arkansas Sunday afternoon at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
The Jaguars (4-1) pushed across a run in the top of the fourth and
Olivia Lackie (3-1) made it hold up as she tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless relief, striking out six, while not surrendering a hit and allowing just two base runners.
For her play on the weekend, Lackie was named to the all-tournament team after picking up three victories, and striking out 25 batters in 16.2 innings of work, while limiting opponents to a .121 batting average and a 1.68 earned run average.
Odalys Cordova led the club with two hits, while
Sidney Lee drove in a pair on her two-run triple.
Olivia Branstetter also reached base twice with a single and a walk.
Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On bouncing back: "Today was a big bounce back after last night's loss. We had some clutch two-out hits and got great pitching to close out the tournament. We're looking forward to getting back to Mobile and opening up on our home field."
Senior P Olivia Lackie
- On the pitching today: "I was really proud of the way that Cadence (Williams) started the game today and I was ready to come in and fill my role as a relief pitcher. It was a huge change in momentum for us and we were able to use it to score again to retake the lead."
- On opening the season 4-1: "It's a huge deal for us to open the season the way we did because it gives us something to build off of. It also gives us momentum going forward to the games next weekend at home."
How It Happened
• With one away in the top of the third,
Sasha Willems lined a single to center for the first hit of the contest for the Jags. Cordova followed with a single of her own and
Sasha Willems was able to move up to third on the play when the ball was bobbled by the UCA left fielder. Lee then tripled in the gap in right center – her first hit as a Jag – to bring in a pair of runs and give South the 2-0 lead.
• The Bears answered right back and tied things up with a pair of runs on three extra-base hits in the bottom half of the inning. Collie Bare led off the bottom half of the third with a double to center and then came into score one batter later on Lilly Hood's triple (USA, 2-1). With one away, Kylie Griffin recorded UCA's third extra-base hit of the inning to tie the game up at 2-2.
• South Alabama quickly reclaimed the lead the next half inning.
Mackenzie Brasher bounced a single through the left side of the infield and then came around one play later on
Gabby Stagner's double and errant throw home (USA, 3-2)
• Renee Christian drew a leadoff walk – the first UCA batter to reach base against Lackie – in the bottom of the seventh. The Bears put the potential winning run aboard after Emma Veach was hit by a pitch with one out, but Lackie was able to get a ground out to first and a pop out on the infield to clinch the victory
Postgame Notes
• The meeting marked the eighth in the all-time series between the two programs
• The start marked the first as Jaguars for both Lee and
Amity White
• Former Jag Holly Smith (2019-21) is a member of the Central Arkansas coaching staff
• The 4-1 start after the first five games is the first by a Jaguar club since the 2018 season
• The 4-1 performance is also the best by South at the NFCA Leadoff Classic as the Jags had been a combined 1-8 in their previous two appearances at the event
• Brasher moved into a tie for sixth place with Kaitlyn Griffith (113, 2012-15) in runs scored
• Brasher is also now tied with
Kamdyn Kvistad (172, 2018-22) for fifth in career hits
• The multi-hit game was the 10th of Cordova's Jaguar career
• Lackie retired the first 11 batters she faced before allowing a leadoff walk to start the seventh
• Only two of the 16 batters reached base against the senior in her 4.2 innings of work in relief
• Two of South's three runs came with two outs, while Central Arkansas was 0-for-7 in two-out situations
• Lackie was named to the NFCA Leadoff Classic all-tournament team
Up Next
• South Alabama will return home to host the South Alabama Invitational presented by Marriott Mobile next weekend. The Jags will open up with Central Michigan on Friday with first pitch set for 5:30 p.m.
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