TUSCALOOSA, Ala. | South Alabama fell 3-2 Friday evening to Northern Iowa in its opening game at the T-Mobile Crimson Classic held at Rhoads Stadium.

Olivia Lackie (7-3) allowed just two hits in the loss and struck out six, but one of the two hits allowed was a three-run home run which proved to be the difference. 

Gabby Stagner and Olivia Branstetter each had a hit and drove in a run, while Stagner and Mackenzie Brasher scored South's two runs.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "Credit UNI (Northern Iowa) …they played a great game. We had our opportunities but couldn't get it to go our way. We are dropping too many one- and two-run ball games. We've got to figure out a way to get it done in those close games."

How It Happened 
•    UNI's Kate Lappe drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the second and the Panthers put their second runner of the inning aboard after a walk by Savanna Jemillo. Two batters later, Lackie looked as if she were going to get out of the inning, but the borderline 2-2 pitch was called a ball. One pitch later, Daryn Lamprecht lifted a ball over the wall in left for a three-run home run (UNI, 3-0)
•    South answered back with a pair of runs the next half inning. Brasher stole her 11th base of the season to move into scoring position in the Jaguar third for Stagner. Stagner then bounced a ball up the middle to score Brasher from second (UNI, 3-1). With two outs in the inning, Branstetter lined a triple down the line in right to plate Stagner (UNI, 3-2).
•    Taylor Hogan reached on a Jaguar error in the bottom of the fourth. Jemilllo then drew a walk to put a pair on but Lackie retired to next two batters she faced to leave the Panther runners stranded.
•    Marley Sims reached on a two-base error to start the fifth and put a runner in scoring position and flip the lineup. Brasher moved Sims up a base with a sacrifice bunt, but Anna Wischnowski (5-1) was able get the next two outs and leave the runner at third and maintain the one-run lead for Northern Iowa.
•    UNI loaded the bases with one out after a hit batter, walk and single to left by Addison McElrath, but Lackie was able to get a called third strike on Lappe and a pop out to Sims at short to leave the bags full.

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the third in the all-time series between the two clubs 
•    All three series meetings have been played in Tuscaloosa
•    In a streak dating back to May 7, 2021, Brasher has made 125 consecutive starts, which is the 11th-longest streak all-time at South Alabama
•    With her first-inning single, Willems has had a hit in 13 of her 15 games this spring
•    The stolen base in the second inning for Brasher was the 70th of her career moving her into sole possession of second place in the career category at South Alabama
•    Stagner has reached base safely in each of her last 16 games - all 15 this spring – dating back to the end of the 2023 season
•    Stagner has had a hit in 15 of her last 16 games dating back to the 2023 season finale
•    The five walks issued by Lackie were a season high for the senior who entered the game with just 11 walks on the season
•    Stephanie Gonzalez had her five-game hit streak come to an end

Up Next
•    South Alabama will continue play at the T-Mobile Crimson Classic with a pair of games on Saturday. The Jags will take on Northern Iowa at 10:30 am and then Alabama at 1 p.m.

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