MONROE, La. | South Alabama scored a run in the top of the seventh, and brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate, but saw its rally attempt come up short as ULM took the series opener, 2-1 Friday night at the ULM Softball Stadium.
Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the game: "Tonight was a close game that didn't go our way. We'll regroup and be ready to go tomorrow."
Key Moments
• Brooklin Lippert led off the top of the first for ULM (18-15, 2-2 SBC) with a walk and after moving into scoring position on a sac bunt, the center fielder came home on Morgan Brown's RBI-single through left side (ULM, 1-0)
• With runners at the corners the next inning for the Warhawks,
Ryley Harrison was able to keep the deficit at one as she recorded a strikeout looking and then snagged a liner back up the middle to end the frame
• South Alabama (19-13, 3-1 SBC) had a scoring opportunity in the fourth as
Presley Lively singled through the left side of the infield to begin the frame and with the Jaguar runner second, the sophomore attempted to score on a ground out but was caught in a run down to end the inning
• The Warhawks again threatened to extend their lead as Kelsey Kovar led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left and Olivia Faggard reached on an infield single, but with runners at second and third, Lippert was called out when the bunted ball hit her coming out of the box
• With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Mo. Brown reached on an infield single, her third hit of the contest, and came home one batter later on Hollie Thomas' double to center (ULM, 2-0)
• ULM had a chance to add to its lead, but
Lillie Stagner threw out a runner at home on a grounder back to her at short, and
Brooklynn Bockhaus made an outstanding, leaping grab in left to rob ULM of extra bases and another run, and end the inning
• The Jags were able to break up the shut out in the seventh as
Virginia Mambelli lined a one-out double to left center, and two batters later, pinch runner
Gracie McDonald came around to score on
Olivia Branstetter's single to center (ULM, 2-1)
• With the potential tying run aboard and the go-ahead run at the plate, ULM pitcher Ashante McDade (7-7) was helped out by her defense as Elle Carter caught a liner at short to end the game
Key Stats
• Branstetter drove in the lone run for the Jags with her RBI-single
• Mambelli doubled and Bockhaus and Lively both singled in the loss
• Harrison (10-6) struck out five and only allowed two runs while pitching around eight hits in the loss
• McDade (7-7) went the distance for ULM in the circle striking out five and allowing just four Jaguar hits
• Mo. Brown was 3-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored, while Flaggard reached base all three of her plate appearances with a pair of hits and a walk
Postgame Notes
• With her fourth-inning single, Lively has reached base safely in seven of her last nine
• Mambelli has reached base safely in nine of her last 11 with her double, and has had a hit in 16 of her last 24
• McDonald has stolen a base in seven of her last 15 outings as a pinch runner, and scored 11 runs off the bench this spring
Up Next
• South Alabama will take on ULM in game two of the Sun Belt Conference series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
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