MONROE, La. | South Alabama loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventy, but ULM reliever Ashante McDade retired the final three batters to seal the 2-1 win and clinch the series for the Warhawks Saturday afternoon at the ULM Softball Stadium.

Quotable – head coach Becky Clark
- On the loss: "Today was another tough one. We went in with a game plan that unfortunately we did not execute. I thought we did the same thing over and over at the plate without making adjustments. There has to be more dig in when it comes to adjusting to what the game is giving you."

Key Moments
•    South Alabama (19-14, 3-2 SWBC) took the early lead with a run in the top of the first as Presley Lively led off the game with an infield single, and two batters later scored on Virginia Mambelli's RBI single
•    Lively was initially ruled out, but after review, obstruction was called allowing the run to count (USA, 1-0)
•    ULM (19-15, 3-2 SBC) threatened to even the game back up in the bottom half of the opening frame, placing runners at the corners with two outs after Hollie Thomas' single to right, but Sydney Scapin (4-5) was able to get a foul out to third to end the inning
•    The Warhawks loaded the bases with two outs in their half of the second, but Scapin was able to get a ground out to second to end the threat
•    Brooklin Lippert and Meagan Brown both walked with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and two batter later, with the two Warhawk runners at second and third after a wild pitch, Thomas lined a single to left center to plate the pair (ULM, 2-1)
•    South Alabama had a chance to answer back the next half inning as Gracie Dees drew a leadoff walk to begin the Jaguar sixth and pinch runner Caitlyn Gavin moved into scoring position on a ground out, but ULM starter Skylar Waggoner (5-3) was able to get a foul out to first and a line out to first to end the inning
•    The Warhawks threatened to add to their lead placing a pair on after a leadoff double by Olivia Fagaard and a walk by Ellie Carter, but Ryley Harrison was able to retire the next three batters to maintain the deficit at one
•    The Jaguars attempted to rally back in the top of the seventh, loading the bases after a double by Lillie Stagner – who just missed a home run – to lead off the inning, and singles by Sydney Stewart and Brooklynn Bockhaus, but McDade was able to retire the final three batters and pick up her first save of the spring

Key Stats
•    Lively was one of five Jags to record a hit and scored the lone run in the loss
•    Stagner had a double and Mambelli reached base twice with a hit and a walk to go along with a RBI
•    Waggoner held South Alabama without a hit in the second through sixth innings
•    Thomas was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Warhawks with two RBI
•    South Alabama was 0-for-7 with two outs and 0-for-3 with a runner at third and less than two outs

Postgame Notes
•    With her leadoff single to start the game, Lively has reached base safely in eight of her last 10, and had a hit in four-straight games and seven of her last nine
•    Mambelli has had a hit in 17 of her last 25, and driven in a run in seven of her last 12
•    Mambelli now has 13 games with both a hit and a RBI this spring
•    Branstetter has reached base safely in each of her last five games with her walk
•    Stagner has had a hit in five of her last eight

Up Next
•    South Alabama will close out the series with ULM on Sunday with first pitch set for 12 p.m.

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