MOBILE, Ala. | Stephanie Gonzalez had a pair of hits, including a home run, on her Senior Day, but it wasn't enough as South Alabama fell 3-1 to Southern Miss Saturday afternoon at Jaguar Field to give the Golden Eagles the Sun Belt Conference series.

South Alabama fell to 15-20 overall and 4-4 in the Sun Belt with the loss, and have now dropped its last two league series. Southern Miss improved to 18-17 and 5-3 in the league with the win. 

Shelby Allen was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Golden Eagles in the win with a run scored and a RBI.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "There were some places in there where we were barreling some balls up, but just hit them right at (Southern Miss). They did a good job defensively and they're playing some good softball right now. We had some good in there and some bad in there, you just have to compete through these types of stretches, and you have to focus on playing good softball. I'm a fundamentals person, so I'm going to keep hammering the fundamentals and handle the 'compete' part of it."

How It Happened 
•    South Alabama threatened to take the early lead in its half of the second, placing a pair of runners on with two outs. Gracie Tentinger lined a single to right and Ansleigh Smith was hit by a pitch to put a pair on for the Jaguars, but Natalie Herrington worked out of the jam with a fly out to center.
•    The Golden Eagles took advantage of the missed scoring opportunity the next half inning. Allen led off the top of the third with an infield single, and Carrie Green and Hannah Christian drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. One batter later, Southern Miss took a 1-0 lead on Maddie Week's sacrifice fly. The Jaguar defense prevented any further damage as Presley Lively doubled off Green trying to advance to third after a fly out to center to end the inning.
•    Kayce Bennett laced a one-out double down the left field line and Lee drew a walk in the top of the fourth. With runners at the corners and two away, Shelby Allen beat the throw to first for an infield single, allowing pinch runner Paris Ferguson to score from third (USM, 2-0).
•     South had another scoring opportunity in the fourth. Gonzalez served a single to right center to begin things for the Jaguars, and two batters later, Tentinger reached for the second time with a walk. USM reliever Kayla Giardina stranded the two runners with a fly out to center and a foul out to third.
•    Southern Miss loaded bases in the top of the sixth after a hit batter, a walk and a single, and then added an insurance run Christian's RBI single (USM, 3-0).
•    With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Gonzalez got a run back for the Jaguars as she lifted her fourth home run of the season over the left field wall (USM, 3-1).

Postgame Notes
•    Prior to the game, senior infielder Stephanie Gonzalez was recognized
•    The meeting marked the 31st in the all-time series
•    With her first-inning walk, Presley Lively has reached base in her first plate appearance in 15 times this season
•    Lively has had a hit or a walk in 18 of her last 23 outings, and reached base safely in 27 of her 35 games this spring
•    Tentinger has reached base safely in six of her nine games this season and four of her five starts
•    Gonzalez has had a hit five of her last six games – seven of her last nine – and reached base safely in eight of her last nine games
•    Stagner has had a hit in 10 of her last 13 and 18 of her last 22 games – and has also reached base in 23 of her last 26 and all but four of her 35 games this season

Up Next
•    South Alabama will close out the series on Sunday with first pitch versus the Golden Eagles set for 1 p.m.

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