TUCSON, Ariz. | South Alabama dropped a pair of close decisions Saturday afternoon, falling 3-1 to Cal State Fullerton in the opener and then 3-2 to Ohio at the Bear Down Fiesta held at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On where the team's at after the weekend: "We are still trying to put it all together. The pieces are there, but it hasn't clicked yet. It's early in the season with a very new roster, so we are having to work through until we find a combination that works. We will continue to work and it will get there, but we've got to have a sense of urgency with that part of it."

Cal State Fullerton 3, South Alabama 1
South Alabama (5-4) took a one-run lead in the top of the fourth, but Cal State Fullerton (6-2) answered right back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead. Trisha McCleskey (3-1) made those runs hold for the Titans as she tossed a complete game and held the Jaguars to just five hits.

Offensively, Olivia Branstetter and Brooklynn Bockhaus led the club at the plate. Branstetter was 2-for-2 with a walk and scored the lone run for the Jaguars, while Bockhaus reached in both of her plate appearances with a single and a walk of her own. 

Cal State Fullerton was led by Colby McClinton and Sara Coccillos, who each went 2-for-3 in the win.

How It Happened 
•    South Alabama had a scoring opportunity in the opening frame. Amity White lined a one-out single to right in the top of the first, and Branstetter then drew a two-out walk to put a pair on for the Jags. McCleskey was able to strand the runners with a pop out.
•    Briona Ferdman reached on an infield single to lead things off for the Titans in their half of the third, who then stole second to move into scoring position. Ferdman was then moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt two batters later, but Jag starter Tori Miller (1-1) was able to get Sarah Perez looking to leave the go-ahead run 60-feet away.
•    Branstetter reached for the second time in as many plate appearances in the top of the fourth as she bounced a one-out, single to left. Megan Davidson then followed with a single of her own through the left side of the infield, and after working the count full, Sidney Lee drew a walk to load the bases. Caitlyn Gavin then lined a ball to center that was deep enough to plate Branstetter and give South the 1-0 advantage.
•    Cal State Fullerton answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. McClinton laid down a bunt single to start the frame for CSF, and the second baseman was then moved into scoring position with a sac bunt and moved to third as she stole third. Alexia Lopez then tied the game back up at 1-1 with a double to left. With two out in the inning, Lopez moved up to third on a wild pitch, and Sophia Guevara walked to put runners at the corners. Pinch runner Abigail Salazar then stole second and pinch hitter Nataly Lozano doubled to left to put Cal State Fullerton on top, 3-1.

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the first in the all-time series between the two clubs and the third versus a Big West Conference member
•    With her first-inning single, Amity White has reached base safely in seven of her nine games this spring
•    The first-inning walk by Branstetter extended her reached base safely streak to eight straight
•    The multi-hit game was the 11th of Bransetter's career
•    Gavin has now reached base in six straight and eight of her nine games this spring,
•    Davidson has reached base safely in eight of her nine games with her fourth-inning single
•    Leadoff batter Presley Lively failed to reach base safely for the first time in her Jaguar career as she was 0-for-3

Ohio 3, South Alabama 2
After the Jaguars grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a RBI single by White, Ohio answered back with a pair of runs the next half inning as the Bobcats held on for a 3-2 win.

Branstetter reached twice with a hit and a walk, and scored a run for the Jaguars, while Amity White also had a hit and drove in a run.

How It Happened 
•    Ohio struck first with a manufactured run in its half of the third. Abby Kennelly was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and then with the Bobcat shortstop standing at third after a double by Belle Hummel, Lauren Yuhas reached on a fielder's choice to plate Kennelly (OU, 1-0). Branstetter kept it at just a one-run deficit as she made and outstanding defensive play at third to rob Emma Hoffner of a hit and a RBI
•    Ansleigh Smith lined a one-out double to right center in the bottom half of the inning, but Anna Wise was able to strand the runner with a strike out and a ground out.
•    Branstetter lined a one-out single back up the middle in the bottom of the fourth. With two away, Davidson dropped in a single in shallow center, and Branstetter kept running on the play. Ohio committed its second error of the game trying to get Branstetter at third as the ball was off the mark, allowing the Jag third baseman to race home and tie the game up (1-1).
•    Hummell recorded her second extra-base hit of the contest as she tripled to right with two away in the Bobcat fifth. Yuhas then walked and stole second to put a pair in scoring position, but Cato closed the door on the scoring opportunity as she got Brenna Farmer looking to end the inning. 
•    After being robbed of extra bases in her previous at-bat, Stephanie Gonzalez lined a double to left to start the bottom of the fifth off for the Jaguars. With runners at the corners and one away, White lined a RBI single to right to score pinch runner Gracie Jo Ward and break the tie and give South the 2-1 advantage. 
•    Hoffner was hit by a pitch to start the sixth and then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. One batter later, Shelby Westler drove a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left to retake the lead (3-1).

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the third in the all-time series versus Ohio and the second at the tournament
•    With her fourth-inning single, Branstetter has now reached base safely in a career-best nine straight games
•    Ward has scored a run in four of her last five games
•    White has reached base safely in eight of her 10 games this spring

Up Next
•    South Alabama will return home to host Southeastern Louisiana. First pitch versus the Lions is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Jaguar Field.

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