MOBILE, Ala. | South Alabama will officially open the 2025 campaign this weekend when it hosts the South Alabama Invitational presented by Marriott Mobile at Jaguar Field. 

The Jags will open things up with UAB on Thursday night at 5 p.m., and then face Murray State (4:30 p.m.) and UIC (7 p.m.) on Friday and Northwestern State (4:30 p.m.) and UIC (7 p.m.) on Saturday. Live stats and the ESPN+ links for all of South Alabama's games can be accessed on the schedule page.

South Alabama enters the 2025 campaign after posting a 34-20-1 record and making the program's sixth NCAA Regional appearance a year ago. The Jaguars will have to replace five of its eight defensive player positions, and will look to be led by Gabby Stagner and Olivia Branstetter.

Stagner ranked second on the club with a .307 batting average and led the team with 15 home runs and 46 RBI and a .706 slugging percentage last spring. The 15 home runs set a new single-season mark for South, while her 46 RBI were seventh most in a season. She ranked among the Sun Belt leaders in slugging percentage (sixth), RBI (eighth), doubles (t-fifth), triples (t-third) and home runs (t-second). Stagner also recorded 10 multi-hit and a team-high 12 multi-RBI games. Stagner was ranked No. 9 by D1 Softball on their Top 15 First Basemen List during the preseason

In her first season with the program, Branstetter batted .289 – which was third-best on the club – scored 13 runs and drove in 19. Of her 39 hits, 15 went for extra bases – 12 doubles, one triple and two home runs, and her 12 doubles were second-most on the club. Of her 19 RBI, 10 came with two outs, which was tied for second-most on the roster. She led the club in SBC play with a team-best .340 batting average versus conference foes where she recorded seven of her 12 doubles. 

Incoming freshman outfielder Presley Lively was named the 6A Hitter of the Year as a senior where she also earned first-team all-state honors each of her final two seasons. Lively ended her prep career holding program career marks in stolen bases (165) and runs scored (204), and single-season marks in hits (82 – 2024), runs scored (75 – 2024) and stolen bases (67 – 2023). Lively has been named to a pair of national freshmen watch list: Softball America Freshman Watch List and the D100 Freshman Watch List by D1 Softball. 

One huge piece the Jags are looking to replace will be in the circle after the graduation of All-American pitcher Olivia Lackie, who closed out her career holding the program marks in appearances (153), shutouts (41), and tied with Hannah Campbell in no-hitters (5). She also ranked second in opponent batting average (.183), wins (80), saves (11, complete games (77), innings pitched (774.2) and strikeouts (903). The four-time, first-team all-South Region and all-Sun Belt Conference selection went 25-9 with two saves in the circle a year ago and ended the season with a 1.54 earned run average, struck out 231 batters and held opponents to a .183 batting average. 

The Jaguar staff will have numerous arms to look to fill the void with seven players vying for the spot: returners Tori Miller, Ryley Harrison, Madison Lagle, transfer Olivia Cato, and freshmen Kooper Barnes, Ashleia Coble and Sydney Scapin.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Site: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)


SOUTH ALABAMA INVITATIONAL (presented by Marriott Mobile) SCHEDULE
Gm 1 - Thu. - South Alabama vs. UAB* - 5 pm
Gm 2 - Fri. - Murray State* vs. Northwestern State - 9 am
Gm 3 - Fri. - UAB* vs. Northwestern State - 11:30 am
Gm 4 - Fri. - UAB* vs. UIC - 2 pm
Gm 5 - Fri. - South Alabama vs. Murray State* - 4:30 pm
Gm 6 - Fri. - South Alabama vs. UIC* - 7 pm 
Gm 7 - Sat. - Murray State vs. UAB* - 9 am
Gm 8 - Sat. - Northwestern State* vs. Murray State - 11:30 am 
Gm 9 - Sat. - UIC vs. UAB* - 2 pm
Gm 10 - Sat. - South Alabama vs. Northwestern State* - 4:30 pm
Gm 11 - Sat. - South Alabama vs. UIC* - 7 pm
Gm 12 - Sun. - UIC* vs. Northwestern State - 10 am

*Denotes team that will occupy the first base dugout. Home Team listed first.

GAME INFORMATION
Site: Jaguar Field (Mobile, Ala.)

South Alabama JAGUARS
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: --
Record: 0-0, 0-0 SBC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .248 / .374 / .324 
Team ERA: 2.75

UAB BLAZERS
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: --
Record: 0-0, 0-0 AAC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .244 / .328 / .328 
Team ERA: 3.97

Murray State RACERS
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: --
Record: 0-0, 0-0 MVC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .229 / .296 / .304 
Team ERA: 2.40

Illinois-Chicago (UIC) FLAMES
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: --
Record: 0-0, 0-0 MVC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): 242. / .299 / .296
Team ERA: 3.43

Northwestern State LADY DEMONS
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SA: -- | DI: --
Record: 0-0, 0-0 SLC

Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .243 / .336 / .319 
Team ERA: 3.52

NOTES
•    South Alabama holds an all-time record of 20-13 (.606) at the South Alabama Invitational
•    Over the course of the program's history, South Alabama has hosted a total of five tournaments
•    In those five tournaments, the Jaguars hold a combined record of 62-31 (.667) 
•    South Alabama will also host the Mardi Gras Classic during the third weekend of the season (Feb. 21-23)
•    With the exception of the 2008, '18 and '22 seasons, South has hosted at least one home tournament 
•    South Alabama holds a 13-5 mark all-time in its 18 home openers
•    In those 18 previous season openers, USA has scored a total of 100 runs (5.6 per game), while allowing 43 (2.4 per game) runs to the opposition for a +57-run differential
•    South has recorded four shutouts in its home openers, last doing so with a 10-0 victory in five innings over Central Michigan last season
•    The Jags have won five of their last six and seven of their last nine
•    The Jaguars hold a 13-3 (.813) advantage in series with UAB, and have won 11 of the last 12
•    South Alabama and Murray State have met seven previous times in the all-time series with the Jags holding a 5-2 record in those meetings
•    The last series meeting with the Racers came during the 2021 season at the Jaguar Classic in Mobile
•    The two meetings with UIC will mark the first ever between the two programs
•    South Alabama and Northwestern State have met five previous times in the all-time series
•    The Jaguars hold a 4-1 edge in the series with the last meeting coming during the 2021 season at the Mardi Gras Invitational
•    All five series meetings with the Lady Demons have come in Mobile
•    In addition to Northwestern State, the Jaguars are also scheduled to face Southland members: Southeastern Louisiana (2/19, Mobile, Ala.), Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (2/22, Mardi Gras Classic, Mobile, Ala.), Nicholls (3/1, Ole Miss Classic, Oxford, Miss.) and McNeese State (3/5, Lake Charles, La.)

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