ATLANTA | Coming off its fifth victory of the spring over a ranked opponent, South Alabama will continue its seven-game road swing this weekend with a three-game series against Georgia State at Bob Heck Softball Complex. Game one of the series is set for Friday at 4 p.m. (CT), with game two set for Saturday at noon (CT) and the series finale on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT).

South Alabama (24-15-1, 7-5 SBC) comes into the series with the Panthers (11-32, 1-14 SBC) after defeating 17th-ranked Mississippi State, 2-0 in Starkville on Wednesday night. Making her first collegiate start, Tori Miller (1-0) tossed five innings of one-hit ball and combined with Olivia Lackie to shut out the Bulldogs.

Mackenzie Brasher stole home after a pair of wild pitches in the first inning to give the Jags the early lead and Gabby Stagner homered in the top of the fourth.

Brasher leads the club at the plate with a .326 batting average, while also leading the team in hits (45), runs scored (27) and stolen bases (22). Brasher's 22 steals lead the Sun Belt Conference and are tied for 21st-most nationally

Stagner (.311) ranks second on the roster in batting average and her .706 slugging percentage is fourth-best in the Sun Belt. Stagner is tied for third in the league in home runs (10), tied for sixth in doubles (11) and tied for second in triples with three, while she sits just outside the Top 10 in RBI (32). Of the junior's 37 hits on the year with 24 of those going for extra bases. 

Brasher leads the team with 12 multi-hit games, while Stagner is close behind her with eight and leads the team with eight multi-RBI efforts.

Sasha Willems has had a hit in 10 of her last 14, recording 12 hits and three walks over that stretch, raising her batting average to .268. Bailey Welch (.258) is batting .282, which is tied for second-best on the roster with Marley Sims, against Sun Belt competition.

Lackie (17-6, 2 SV) holds a 1.42 earned run average, has struck out 166 batters and held opponents to a .175 batting average. The senior ranks second in the SBC in strikeouts, while also ranking second in the league in ERA, opponent's batting average, strikeouts looking (49) and innings pitched (162.1). Lackie is ranked second nationally in innings pitched, tied for seventh in strikeouts, tied for ninth in shutouts with six and her 17 wins are tied for 13th most in the country. 

As a staff, South Alabama holds 10 shutouts this spring, tied for third-most in the Sun Belt and 22nd in the NCAA

SERIES INFORMATION
Site: Bob Heck Softball Complex (Decatur, Ga.)

SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: April 19, 2024 | 4 p.m. (CT)
Game 2: April 20, 2024 | 12 p.m. (CT)
Game 3: April 21, 2024 | 11 a.m. (CT)

South Alabama JAGUARS
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: -- | RPI: 30
Record: 24-15-1, 9-6 SBC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .250 / .371 / .314
Team ERA: 2.77

Georgia State PANTHERS
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: -- | RPI: 248
Record: 11-32, 1-14 SBC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .258 / .358 / .336
Team ERA: 5.67

THE SERIES
vs. Georgia State: USA leads 18-8
In Mobile: USA leads 11-3
In Decatur: USA leads 5-4
At Neutral Site: USA leads 2-1
Current Streak: USA 5

NOTES
•    South Alabama and Georgia State have met 26 previous times in the all-time series with the Jaguars holding an 18-8 series advantage
•    Of the 26 meetings, 22 have come during regular-season action
•    South has won five of the nine meetings at the Bob Heck Softball Complex
•    Brasher (209) is two starts shy of tying Kaitlyn Griffith (2011, 2012-15) and Meghan Collins (211, 2010-13) for third most at South 
•    Brasher (216) is one game played shy of taking sole possession of second place in the category, and one the center fielder (136) is one run scored shy of passing Blair Johnson (136, 2012-15) for sole possession of fourth in the category
•    Brasher (54) is one multi-hit game away from moving into a tie with Emily Messer (55) for third place at South
•    Brasher (211) is two hits shy of matching Brittany Fowler (213, 2010-13) for second
•    Stagner (30) is one double shy of moving into a tie for eighth all-time in the career category at South – Amanda Minahan (31, 2014-17)
•    Stagner (22) is two home runs shy of moving into a tie in the career category at South - Haley Hopkins (24, 2009-12) 
•    Stagner (55 – 30-3-22) is three extra-base hits away from moving into eighth place in the category – 58 (40-1-17) Meghan Collins (2010-13)
•    Stagner (92) is six RBI shy of moving into the Top 10 of the career category with Stephanie Pilkington (98, 2013-16)

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