Box Score COLUMBIA, S.C. | South Alabama scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning, but it wasn't enough as James Madison held on for the 4-2 victory Sunday morning at the Gamecock Invitational held at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.

Olivia Branstetter led the Jaguars (10-4) at the plate as the freshman was a perfect 3-for-3 on the day. Gabby Stagner also reached twice with a pair of walks and drove in a run.  
Olivia Lackie reached another pitching milestone as she moved into second place in career strikeouts as she now has 736 for her career.

Reed Butler drove in three of James Madison's (9-4) runs with a three-run home run in the top of the first. Payton List (4-1) picked up the win for the Dukes, while Alisa Humphrey recorded the final two outs to earn her first save of the season.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "We got down early and couldn't find a way to get back in it. (Madison) Lagle and (Olivia) Lackie did a good job of shutting them down and giving us a chance. We had our opportunities, but hit some balls right at people, and they made some great defensive plays. We need to regroup and get ready for next weekend."

How It Happened 
•    JMU struck early with three runs in the top of the first. Bella Henzler drew a walk to lead off the game for the Dukes, and Jasmine Hall lined a single through the left side of the infield to put a pair on. Butler then homered to right center on the first pitch she saw to give James Madison the 3-0 lead.
•    With one away in the bottom half of the opening frame, Stagner drew a four-pitch walk, and two batters later, the junior first baseman attempted to score on Branstetter's double, but was called out at home.
•    South had its chances early on as it left two runners on in the second and third innings, and five total over the first three innings.
•    James Madison loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the fourth, and two batters later the Dukes added to their lead on a sac fly to foul territory in right, scoring Isabelle Fishman who had led off the inning with a double (JMU, 4-0).
•    Madison Edwards worked a one-out walk and then moved into scoring position with her third stolen base of the spring. After a nine-pitch at-bat, KK Mathis walked to put a pair on for JMU, and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, but Madison Lagle was able to retire the next two batters and get out of the jam.
•    Marley Sims dropped in a one-out single in left center in the seventh and Mackenzie Brasher reached on a third-strike wild pitch. Sims then came around to score all the way from second on another wild pitch and Brasher advanced to third on the play (JMU, 4-1).
•    Stagner then cut the deficit in half (JMU, 4-2) with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Brasher, but that was as close as the Jags would get as Humphrey recorded the final out to clinch the win for the Dukes.

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the third in the all-time series between the two clubs
•    The meeting also marked the first time since the 2020 season that the Jags have faced a Sun Belt opponent in a non-conference tournament (Texas State, NFCA Leadoff Classic)
•    In a streak dating back to May 7, 2021, Brasher has made 123 consecutive starts, which is the 11th-longest streak all-time at South Alabama
•    Stephanie Gonzalez extended her hit streak to a career best five games
•    Lackie tied Beth Pilgrim (2007-10) for second place with her strikeout of Butler to end the sixth and then took over sole possession with her strikeout of Kylie Thress
•    Stagner saw her 13-game hit streak – which ranks as seventh longest in program history – come to an end
•    Stagner did extend her reached base safely streak to 14 with her two walks
•    Stagner has driven in at least one run in eight of her last 11 games; 11 RBI over that stretch
•    Brasher has scored a run in 12 of her 14 outings this spring 
•    The three hits for Branstetter were career high and marked her fourth multi-hit game of the season

Up Next
•    South Alabama will next compete at the T-Mobile Crimson Classic hosted by Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., next weekend. The Jags will open up tournament play with a pair of games on Friday Northern Iowa at 1:30 p.m. and Alabama at 4 p.m.

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