Wednesday, February 18, 2015
No. 22 Jaguar Softball Stacks Five Runs On Nicholls State in Final Inning To Win, 7-2
THIBODAUX, La. – After Nicholls State tied scoring at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a pair of hits and walks, No. 22 University of South Alabama softball responded by scoring five runs in the top of the seventh to win, 7-2, and extend its winning streak to seven games on Wednesday.
The Jaguars (8-2) took advantage of a pair of Nicholls State errors and three hit by pitches, while also drawing seven total walks. South Alabama outhit, the Colonels, 5-3.
"I thought we had great at bats the entire game," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "There were a lot of line drives and hard-hit ground balls, but we just hit them right at somebody. The one at the end, in the big inning, we got to go through.
"The biggest thing I was waiting to see was how we'd come back after they scored the two runs," Clark continued. "And we stayed steady. After that, our pitchers gave us a chance to win it. Obviously, I'd like to not see us walk two people in the sixth inning with a two run lead, but we'll figure that part out. Other than that, I thought it was a well-pitched game."
"I thought this was a great win," she added. "[Nicholls State] is a great team, and they compete. I thought it was a well-played game, and I didn't think there was a point in the game that we started to press."
USA junior center fielder Stephanie Pilkington reached base for the 10th time this season in as many games after she drew a pair of walks and was hit by one pitch. The Lake City, Fla., native also scored a run.
Pilkington drew a two-out walk to load the bases for sophomore catcher Chloe Rathburn in the top of the third inning, and Rathburn delivered a single down the left field line to drive in junior third baseman Emily Messer and sophomore Amanda Minahan, which put USA ahead, 2-0.
USA starting pitcher Devin Brown (4-1; 2.12 ERA) retired the Colonel side in order in the bottom of the second inning and continued the habit until she allowed a leadoff single and two walks in the bottom of the sixth. Her classmate, Kalen McGill, came on in relief and immediately allowed Danielle Phillips a game-tying, two-run single that Jaguar senior shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith came up inches short of stopping.
Nicholls State starting pitcher Hannah Haydel was replaced by Jackie Johnson at the beginning of the seventh inning, and Johnson dealt a hit by pitch to Minahan and walks to Pilkington and Johnson each to load the bags.
Haydel was reinserted and struck out USA senior first baseman Amanda Herron for the second out of the inning before walking Griffith for the go-ahead third run. Jaguar freshman second baseman Kristian Foster then supplied a two-run single to left field to put USA ahead, 5-2.
Messer ripped a two-run single through the right side off of Nicholls State reliever Taylor Hastings later in the inning for the final pair of runs.
McGill retired the Colonels in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure her third win of the year, moving to 3-0. She finished with a pair of strikeouts in an inning and a third. Brown finished with eight strikeouts to two walks and a pair of runs (earned) on as many hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Johnson was credited with the loss, falling to 2-3 on the year after giving up three runs (all earned) on two walks and no hits in one-third of an inning. Haydel finished with a pair of strikeouts to five walks and four runs (all earned) on as many hits in six and a third. Hastings allowed one hit in a third of an inning.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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Georgia State Softball Falls at No. 16 Auburn on Cold, Windy Night
What you need to know:
?-Georgia State now returns to Atlanta for home opener against Savannah State on Feb. 20.
-GSU will look to improve upon its 3-2 record with four games in Panther Invitational.
-The Panthers will also face Mount St. Mary’s and Presbyterian over the weekend.
AUBURN, Ala. – On a cold and windy night in Alabama, the Georgia State softball team was defeated by No. 16 Auburn 10-0 in five innings. The Panthers fall to 3-2 overall in 2015 while the Tigers improve to 13-0.
Auburn scored two in the first, three in the second and five in the third en route to a one-hit shutout. GSU’s lone hit came in the bottom of the third when Mallory Koepke beat out an infield single to the Tigers’ shortstop. Taylor Anderson then drew a walk to put runners on second a third. A groundout to first advanced the runners but both were stranded when a strikeout ended the Georgia State threat.
This was the Panthers’ lowest scoring game of the season thus far. Now GSU must shift its focus to the Panther Invitational and the team’s home opener. GSU will host Savannah State for a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 20, with Game 1 set to begin at 1:30 p.m.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) and Facebook for the latest news. For softball season tickets call 404-403-4020 or click here.
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Early Offense Not Enough as Warhawks Fall to Lady Demons
NATCHITOCHES, La. – A two-hit, two-RBI night from senior Alexis Cacioppo was not enough as the Warhawks fell 3-4 to Northwestern State at the Lady Demon Diamond.
The Warhawks (9-2) took an early lead in the first inning, but could not close the door on the Lady Demons (3-8) who used a fifth-inning rally to take the game.
Cacioppo went two-for-three with a first-inning, two-RBI triple, her first on the season. Junior Faith Bohack garnered her 11th RBI on the season with a sacrifice bunt.
Freshman Paige Porter made her sixth start on the year going 4.1 innings for the Warhawks with one strikeout. Senior Jessica Colliver closed the game and picked up her first loss on the season.
Sophomore Rochelle Roberts doubled to left center to open the game. Freshman Cheyanne Lyon reached first on a Lady Demon error to put runners on the corners with no outs.
Cacioppo knocked her first triple on the year and put ULM on the board first (2-0 ULM).
After redshirt senior Miyuki Navarrete reached on an error, Bohack laid down the sacrifice bunt to score Cacioppo (3-0 ULM).
The Lady Demons would answer in the bottom of the second with a leadoff homer from Cassandra Barefield (3-1 ULM).
Northwestern State would put two runners on with one out following the homerun shot, but the Warhawk defense shut down any scoring chance.
After exchanging two scoreless innings, the Lady Demons would use two solo homeruns to tie the game 3-3 in the fifth inning.
With one out, a Lady Demon baserunner would reach with help of an ULM fielding error. Colliver would answer with a strikeout, but a two-out single to left center would give Northwestern State a 3-4 lead that the Lady Demons would hold to secure the victory.
The Warhawks travel to Conway, Ark., on Friday, Feb. 20 to compete in a tournament hosted by Central Arkansas. ULM takes on Arkansas Pine Bluff at 3:45 p.m. on Friday to kick off the weekend.
For the latest on ULM softball, visit ULMWarhawks.com and follow the team on Twitter (@ULM_Softball) and Facebook (facebook.com/ULMSoftball).