MOBILE, Ala. | South Alabama extended its season-best four-game win streak on Saturday with a pair of run-rule victories over Notre Dame (9-1) and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (8-0) on day two of the Mardi Gras Classic held at Jaguar Field.

In the nightcap versus the Islanders, freshman center fielder Presley Lively set a new single-game record with four walks.

Due to forecasted inclement weather in the Mobile area on Sunday, South's game versus Maine has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start time.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the day: "I thought it was a great day in general for our players. They were both team wins, and that's the thing we've been pushing, so it was great to see that today. I think our two games against Notre Dame this weekend were two of the cleaner games that we've played this season. We had quality pitching and made pitches when we needed to, especially when they had some base runners. We were able to work our way out of it. 

"Offensively, I thought we just had some quality at-bats and timely hitting. Every time we had an opportunity, we seemed to take advantage of it. I thought we were just locked in and really good tonight. It was great to see us bounce back from Wednesday, and see us play the way we're playing right now. This is a lot more of who we are as a team, and who we need to be. It's up to us to stay locked into that."

Freshman OF Presley Lively
- On how the team's playing right now: "We had a time where we weren't really working together as a team, and over the past few days, we've really built that connection. Everyone is seeing the ball and changing our mindsets and approaches. All the way around – defense, hitting and pitching – we've just completely changed our mindsets."

- On herself and Amity White setting the table at the top of the lineup: "As the leadoff and two-hole hitter, you have to see some pitches for the rest of the team, and then put the ball in play to make the defense work a little bit. Amity did a great job of putting the ball in play and letting me see pitches when she was in the leadoff spot. Our ability to get on base just changes the entire mindset for our team going into the game."

South Alabama 9, Notre Dame 1 (6 inn.)
South Alabama scored each of the final five innings and opened the day with a 9-1, run-rule victory over Notre Dame.

Gabby Stagner drove in a pair of runs and reached base safely in three of her four plate appearances with a home run and a pair of walks. Presley Lively had a pair of triples and scored twice. Brooklynn Bockhaus recorded her first home run of the season with a three-run shot in the fifth inning.

Olivia Cato (3-1) went the distance scattering seen hits and a pair of walks, while allowing just the one run. Notre Dame (7-7) had seven hits and at least one base runner on each of the first five innings, but was unable to capitalize as Cato worked out of the jams. The junior hurler recorded her first clean inning in the top of the fifth on just eight pitches and then retired the Irish in order in the sixth.

How It Happened 
•    Addison Amaral led off the game with a single that was just out of reach of Jaguar second baseman Stephanie Gonzalez's glove. Amaral was then moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt and then moved to third on a single by Paige Cowley with two outs. Cowley stole second, but that was as far as the Irish could advance as Cato was able to get Rachel Allen swinging to end the inning.
•    Notre Dame recorded back-to-back, two-out singles by Anna Holloway and Emily Tran its next time up, but Cato was again able to escape as Ansleigh Smith grabbed a liner to right to end the frame
•    South Alabama broke through with a run in the bottom of the second after as the Jags took advantage of three Irish errors. Branstetter was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the second – the 11th time in her Jaguar career – and then moved into scoring position after a throwing error on a failed pick off attempt. The sophomore third baseman later moved up to third on a wild pitch. After South loaded the bases, Kami Kamzik looked as if she might get out of the inning unscathed when Holloway snagged a lined off the bat of Megan Davidson and threw onto first in an attempt to double off the runner at first. However, Sydny Poeck dropped the ball, allowing Branstetter to race home (USA, 1-0).
•    Notre Dame put two aboard with one out after singles by Jane Kronenberger and Holloway – her second of the contest. Tran then singled through the right side of the infield to score a run and put runners at the corners (USA, 2-1). After a stolen base by Tran, Cato was able to induce a pop out to first and then fielded a chopper back to the circle and threw onto Stagner for the third out.
•    South Alabama got the run right back the next half inning. Lee lined a double to the gap in right center – her third two-bagger of the weekend – to begin the Jaguar fourth, and then with one out, moved up to third on a wild pitch. Davidson then lined a single back up the middle off Kamzik to score Lee (USA, 3-1) and give her her first RBI as a Jag.
•    The Irish placed multiple runners aboard with two outs in the top of the fifth after Allen was hit by a pitch and Kronenberger walked, but Cato was able to escape again with a fly out to left.
•    Lively lined a triple to left center to start the Jaguar fifth, who came into score one batter later on Stagner's sac fly. Gonzalez and Lee put a pair on later in the inning after back-to-back two-out walks, and Brooklynn Bockhaus made them pay as the junior blasted her first, career home run over the wall in left (USA, 7-1) 
•    South Alabama sealed the run-rule victory with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. White walked with one out and then came into score on Lively's second-straight triple (USA, 8-1). After an intentional walk to Stagner, Branstetter ended things as she lifted a ball to center that was deep enough to score Lively (USA, 9-1).

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the fourth in the all-time series between the two clubs, as South Alabama now leads 3-1
•    Branstetter has reached base in 10 of her last 11 games, and has scored a run in four of her last five
•    With her second-inning walk, Caitlyn Gavin has reached base in 11 of her 14 games this
•    The home run for Stagner was the 33rd of her Jaguar career and her 16th at home
•    Stagner has reached base in 11 of her 14 games
•    With the two RBI, Stagner (31) moved into a tie for fourth all-time at South with Kamdyn Kvistad (2018-22) in career multi-RBI games
•    Davidson has reached base safely in 11 of her 13 games this season with her RBI-single in the fourth
•    Lively has reached base safely in 10 of her 14 games and scored a run in eight games
•    Lively has had at least one hit in eight of her last 12
•    The two triples marked the sixth extra-base hit for freshman outfielder 
•    Lively is the first player since Kaleigh Todd (vs. Purdue, 3/5/17) to record multiple triples in a game for South Alabama
•    Stephanie Gonzalez reached base safely for the fifth-straight game with her fifth-inning walk
•    With her walk in the sixth, White has reached base safely in 12 of her 14 games 

South Alabama 8, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0 (5 inn.)
South Alabama's offense erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth to pick up its second run-rule victory of the day, 8-0 over Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.

Both Lively (4) and White (2) did an excellent job setting the table for the Jaguar (9-6) offense as the duo combined for six of South's nine walks and scored four times.  Stagner and Branstetter each drove in a pair of runs, while the latter had two hits.

Tori Miller (2-1) was outstanding in the circle as she tossed five innings of two-hit ball and struck out a career-high six batters, while no issuing a walk. In her five innings of work, Miller retired Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (4-10) in order three times.

How It Happened 
•    South Alabama jumped out to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit. Lively drew a leadoff walk during South's first time at the plate and promptly stole second and third to move into scoring position. With runners at the corner, the freshman came into score the first run (USA, 1-0) of the inning on an Islander wild pitch. The Jags then took advantage of another miscue by the visitors as White (walk) was able to evade the tag while advancing to third on Stagner's fielder's choice and then kept running home after Karisa Lopez's throw got by TAMCC third baseman Crystal Davila (USA, 2-0).
•    Gavin walked to begin the South Alabama second, and with one away the sophomore stole second to move into scoring position. Lively then walked for the second-straight plate appearance
•    Lee lined a single to left to begin the bottom of the third and Davidson followed with a walk to put a pair on for the Jags. Gonzalez then reached on an error on her sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases with no outs. The Islanders looked as if they might get out of the jam as they retired the next two batters, but Lively walked on four-straight out of the zone to plate pinch runner Gracie Jo Ward (USA, 3-0).
•    In the fifth, Gavin singled to left and Bockhaus followed with a single to right and advanced on the throw to put runners at second and third with one out. Lively then walked for the fourth time to load the bases, and White walked as well to bring in a run (USA, 4-0).  Stagner and Branstetter then recorded back-to-back, two-run singles to seal the game and give the Jags the eight-run victory.

Postgame Notes
•    The meeting marked the second in the series between the two programs and the first since the 2017 season
•    The Jaguars now lead the series 2-0 after the victory
•    With her leadoff walk, Lively has reached base in her first plate appearance in seven times this spring
•    Lively has reached base safely in 12 of her 15 games, drawing a walk nine times, and scored a run in eight games
•    The four walks by Lively were a new single-game record for South
•    With her first-inning walk, White has reached base safely in 12 of her 14 games this spring
•    Gavin has reached base in 12 of her 15 games this spring, and scored a run in eight games 
•    Ward has scored a run in eight of her 12 games
•    Stagner (32) moved into a tie for third with Amanda Minahan (2014-17) in career multi-RBI games

Up Next
•    South Alabama will close out play at the Mardi Gras Classic versus Maine at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

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