BOONE, N.C. | Olivia Lackie tossed a complete-game shutout and Odalys Cordova and Gabby Stager provided the offense with a pair of home runs as South Alabama took the series opener, 3-0 over App State Saturday afternoon at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.

Lackie (14-6) allowed just four hits and struck out seven in the win. Cordova had a pair of hits – a double and a home run – while Mackenzie Brasher and Stagner had a hit and scored a run.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the win: "Liv (Olivia Lackie) and our defense gave us seven solid and the two home runs were the difference maker. It was good to get OD (Odalys Cordova) and Gabby (Stagner) going. They've been needing that and it gives them something to work off of tomorrow.

Second baseman Odalys Cordova
- On her approach in the fourth: "I just got in there and let loose. I was just trying to get going to put us on the scoreboard."

First baseman Gabby Stagner
- On her at-bat in the seventh: "I went up to the plate knowing that we needed some insurance runs for Olivia and how good she was doing, so I wanted to have a quality at bat and get a pitch that I could drive. My mindset stepping into the box was to stay through the ball and drive it up the middle."

How It Happened 
•    Sasha Willems lined a two-out single to left in the top of the first, and Stephanie Gonzalez walked to put a pair on for the Jags, but App State starter Delanie Buckner (2-4) induced a pop out on the infield to leave the runners stranded.
•    Bailey Welch drew a one-out walk in the Jaguar second, and Brooklynn Bockhaus laid down a bunt single and aggressive base running by the two runners placed runners at second and third. Olivia Cook though fielded a chopper to third and came home on the play to get Welch attempting to score. A fly out to left one batter later ended the scoring threat for South.
•    Addie Wray lined a two-out single to left and moved to second on the play when the ball got under Welch's glove, but Lackie left the runner in scoring position and ended the frame with a strikeout of Macy Hamby.
•    Cordova broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth as she led off the inning with a solo shot to left (USA, 1-0). 
•    Wray walked on four-straight to start the bottom of the fifth who then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. After a fly out to left center, Kayt Houston was intentionally walked, and on the first pitch, Lackie was able to get Grace Barrett to fly out and leave the two runners stranded.
•    Cordova doubled to start the top of the sixth for South – her second extra-base hit of the contest – but Buckner retired the next three batters to end the frame.
•    With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Taylor Thorp dropped in a double in left center that was just outside the reach of Brasher, but Lackie squelched the App State scoring opportunity with a strikeout and a ground out.
•    Brasher laid down a bunt single with one out in the seventh and one batter later, Stagner blasted her eighth home run of the season to center field (USA, 3-0) for a pair of insurance runs.

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the 28th in the all-time series between the two clubs and 11th in Boone
•    With the win, South now holds a 24-4 series advantage, including a 9-2 mark in Boone, and has won 12 of the last 13, 8-2 in Boone
•    The shutout was the 11th in the series by the Jags and the 36th of Lackie's career
•    The win was the 69th of the senior pitcher's career, moving her into a tie with Devin Brown (2015-18) for second-most all-time 
•    Brasher has made her 144th consecutive start, moving her into a tie with Christin Crocker for seventh longest streak in program history
•    Brasher (210) also tied Emily Messer (2013-16) for eighth in the in games played at South
•    With her first-inning single, Willems has had a hit in seven of her last eight, recording nine hits and two walks over that stretch
•    The home run by Cordova was her first since March 11, 2023 versus Lehigh 
•    The multi-hit game was the third of the season for Cordova and the 13th of her Jaguar career
•    Brasher has had a hit in eighth of her last nine, including her last five games, tallying 13 hits over the nine-game stretch, and reached base in 15 of her last 18 outings
•    The home run was the 20th of Stagner's career, making her just one of eight players in program history to accomplish the feat
•    With her two RBI, Stagner (21) moved within one game of tying Jenny Stevens (22, 2007-08, '11) and Tara Donaldson (22, 2007-09) for 14th in career multi-RBI games
•    Stagner has reached base safely in 27 games this season and had a hit 23 of her 32 outings 
•    The two home-run performance marked the fourth time this season that the Jags have had two players homer in a game

Up Next
•    South Alabama will close out the Sun Belt series with the Mountaineers on Sunday with a doubleheader. Game one is set to start at 10 a.m. (CT) and will be immediately followed by the series finale.

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