HIGHLIGHTS
SOUTH ALABAMA PRESS CONFERENCE
UL LAFAYETTE PRESS CONFERENCE
South Alabama Jaguars Claim Third Sun Belt Softball Championship Behind Late Two-Out Rally
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – The No. 23-ranked South Alabama softball team claimed the 2015 Sun Belt Conference softball tournament title, its third in school history, behind a two-run, two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning against the top seed and No. 10/11-ranked UL Lafayette on Saturday at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
South Alabama (38-11) freshman Devin Brown (10-4) came on in relief to toss seven shutout innings on five hits and struck out two against UL Lafayette (39-9), the nation’s No. 1-ranked offense in home runs per game and No. 2-ranked offense in scoring.
The Jags pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for pinch hitter Haleigh Lowe. Her sharp grounder to first deflected off the glove of Ragin’ Cajuns first baseman Kelsey Vincent to score sophomore Amanda Minahan. Junior Emily Messer drew a walk that scored senior Blair Johnson to stake the Jags to a two-run lead.
The Cajuns rallied in the bottom of the seventh, putting runners on first and second with two outs for the nation’s leading home run hitter, junior Lexie Elkins. Elkins walked to load the bases for junior Samantha Walsh who knocked a ball straight to Brown and the freshman fired to first for the championship-clinching out.
South Alabama senior Farish Beard started the game in the circle but was pulled in favor of Brown after she walked the leadoff batter and advanced her to second on five consecutive illegal pitches.
“What an amazing game. We got thrown a curveball early and adjusted to it, I thought Devin did an awesome job coming in and what a big stage for her as a freshman coming in against that offense,” said South Alabama head coach Becky Clark. “She stepped up, obviously UL Lafayette is a tremendous team and they’ll have a lot of success in the postseason. I’m just extremely proud of our kids and happy for our seniors.”
Ragin’ Cajuns starter Jordan Wallace (16-5) threw seven innings and allowed just three hits with no earned runs to improve her ERA on the season to 1.88. The Ragin’ Cajuns were held scoreless for just the second time this season.
“We hit a couple of balls well but just right at them and mishit a few balls. [Brown] did a good job of keeping us guessing, we had our opportunities and it just didn’t go our way today,” UL Lafayette Associate Head Coach TJ Hubbard said, “We look forward to moving on, congratulations to South Alabama it was a great game, I’m proud of our kids.”
South Alabama senior Kaitlyn Griffith earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award.
The Jaguars (38-11) earned the Sun Belt Conference’s automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Softball Championship beginning May 15. The NCAA Selection show is scheduled for Sunday, May 10 at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
All-Tournament Team
Ivie Drake, Georgia State
Katie Worley, Georgia State
Lexie Elkins, UL Lafayette
DJ Sanders, UL Lafayette
Jordan Wallace, UL Lafayette
Melanie Coyne, UL Monroe
Farish Beard, South Alabama
Devin Brown, South Alabama
Emily Messer, South Alabama
Most Outstanding Player
Kaitlyn Griffith, South Alabama
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