EARLY OFFENSE AND BROWN’S DOMINANCE IN THE CIRCLE LEAD JAGUAR SOFTBALL TO 8-0 WIN OVER TROY
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team score six runs in the first two innings and Devin Brown struck out 10 Wednesday night as the Jaguars defeated Troy, 8-0 in five innings at Jaguar Field.
South Alabama (20-12, 3-7 SBC) will head out on the road for a three-game Sun Belt series at Appalachian State. USA and App State will open up with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 1 (12 / 2 p.m. [CT]) and then close out the series on Sunday, April 2 with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. (CT).
After leaving 20 runners on base in their three-game series versus Louisiana-Lafayette over the weekend, the Jaguar offense capitalized on scoring situations Tuesday night, stranding just four.
"I thought it was awesome," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said of her team's performance. "I'm happy they did that in front of such a great crowd. What a night to bust out and have an all-around great performance. It wasn't just one area it was all the way around. I thought we ran the bases well, played defense, Devin did a great job and our offense came alive, so I was happy to see that.
"I thought we had great at situational hitting and timely hitting; that's the fun part of the game. Sometimes you have to struggle a little bit to figure out who you are. We've been scuffling a little bit and trying to figure out who they are. They're competing and going hard, I'm proud of them for that effort."
The win snapped a four-game skid for the Jaguars.
Amanda Minahan recorded her seventh home run of the season and also registered a pair of sacrifice flies, while posting a career-high five RBI. MC Nichols and Kristian Foster were each 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run, while former drove in a run and the latter had a pair of RBI. Kaleigh Todd also had a hit and a walk and scored three times for the Jaguars.
Brown (10-6) posted her 12th complete game and her eighth shutout of the season. In her five innings of work, Brown allowed just two hits and struck out two batters each inning. Of her 70 pitches on the night, 55 were for strikes and the junior right-hander didn't issue a walk. The 10 strikeout performance was her sixth double-digit strikeout performance of the season.
Troy dropped its fifth-straight game and fell to 15-20 overall and 3-7 in the Sun Belt with the loss. Claire Graves (7-4) lasted just two innings, allowing six runs – five earned – on five hits and a walk. Madeline Porter and Katie Webb recorded the lone two Trojan hits.
After Brown retired the Trojans in order in the top half of the opening frame, South took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half with an unearned run. Todd extended her reached base streak to 11 games and got aboard on a fielding error by Trojan third baseman Katie Webb. With runners at the corners after a fielder's choice by Foster, Minahan put USA on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Todd.
The Jaguars blew the game open in the home half of the second as they erupted for five runs on four hits to extend their lead out to 6-0. Savanna Mayo led off the inning with a solid single to left and moved around to third on a sac bunt by Aly Smith and a ground out. Todd then reached for the second time in as many bats on a five-pitch walk and stole second, placing runners at second and third.
Nichols and Foster then followed with RBI singles to make it 3-0 for South Alabama. With two outs, Minahan blasted a three-run home run deep over the wall in left. The senior outfielder was down 0-2 in the count, but battled back to work it full before clearing the bases. The home run was also the 24th of her career, tying her with former Jag Haley Hopkins (2009-12) for fourth on the all-time career list.
Troy tried to respond in the fourth as Porter doubled off the leftfield wall to start the inning, but Brown struck out the next two Trojan batters and got Erica Davis to fly out to left to end the frame.
USA scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to take an eight-run lead. Megan Harris and Todd each recorded an infield single to start things off. With one out, Foster drove in her second run of the night with a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Harris. Minahan then brought in Todd from third with a sacrifice fly to right for her fifth RBI of the game.
Brown pitched a scoreless seventh ending the contest with a strikeout of Carli Kayler.
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Troy Softball Falls to South Alabama
MOBILE, Alabama – Troy (15-20, 3-7 SBC) traveled south for a single game against conference opponent South Alabama on Wednesday night. The Trojans fell to the Jaguars 8-0 in five innings at Jaguar Field. The series between Troy and South Alabama will continue as Troy hosts South on May 7 at 1 and 3 p.m.
The Jaguars (20-12, 3-7 SBC) got on the board early as they drove in one run in the first inning after a Troy error allowed the runner to get on base.
In a big second inning, South Alabama added to its lead as two back-to-back RBI singles advanced runners home to get a 3-0 lead over the Trojans. The Jaguars took a six run lead as Amanda Minahan hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the second with two outs.
South put up two more runs with an RBI single from Kristian Foster and a sacrifice fly from Minahan in the bottom of the fourth to give South an 8-0 lead that Troy could not answer to end the game in favor of the Jaguars in five innings.
Although the Trojans had a hard time hitting off of junior pitcher Devin Brown, Madeline Porter posted Troy's second hit with a double to left field that nearly cleared the fence, but after a couple of strikeouts and and fly ball, Porter was left stranded at second.
Claire Graves earned her 15th start in the circle this season. She put in two innings of work and after allowing six runs, Graves was relieved by Meg Willis. Graves took the loss for the Trojans and moves to 7-4 on the season. Willis threw the remaining two innings of the game and allowed the final two Jaguar runs to score.
NOTEWORTHY
• Maddie Porter extended her reached base streak and has now safely reached base in 13 consecutive games, a career high and current team high.
• Troy is tied for first in the conference in doubles (45) with Porter's hit tonight. Heading into tonight's game, the Trojans were third in the league in runs scored (152) and total bases (359), and tied for fourth in hits (234) and RBI (129).
• Becca Hartley is fifth in the country and second in the Sun Belt with 12 home runs on the year, a career high. Her previous career high was 11 that she hit last season. She is also seventh nationally in total bases with 81 and 47th in slugging percentage.
• Hartley, Stephanie Snyder and Erica Davis lead the team with seven doubles each. A total of nine Trojans have posted multiple doubles this season.
UP NEXT
Troy will host conference opponent UT Arlington for a three game series on April 1-2. Saturday's doubleheader is slated for 1 and 3 p.m., and Sunday's finale will be played at noon.
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SOFTBALL SCORES NINE STRAIGHT TO WIN AT GEORGIA TECH
ATLANTA - Georgia State (22-11, 7-2 SBC) rallied from a three-run deficit with home runs from Ivie Drake and Megan Litumbe to defeat Georgia Tech 9-5 Wednesday at Mewborn Field.
For the third time in a week, Georgia State rebounded from a three-run hole to win a game. It was the second time in as many games that the Panthers would score nine answered runs after falling behind. On Wednesday, GSU used 14 hits to top the Yellow Jackets and got a strong pitching performance from Kinsley Jennings.
The Yellow Jackets used a three-run homer in the bottom of the first to go ahead, but that would be all they scored until they plated two in the seventh. The Panthers would score three in the third, three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the top of the seventh to earn their 22nd victory on the year.
With the bases loaded in the top of the third, Georgia State rattled off three straight singles to tie the game. Ivie Drake then gave GSU a 5-3 lead with a two-run blast in the fourth, her 42nd career home run. The next batter, Megan Litumbe, would launch a solo shot to center field to go back-to-back. Litumbe now has four home runs in the last four games.
The Panthers added insurance in the fifth and seventh innings before Mandy Chance came on to pitch in the seventh and shut down a GT rally to secure the win.
Kinsley Jennings improved to 9-4 on the season with 4.2 innings in the circle, holding the Yellow Jackets to two runs on six hits.
Five different Panthers recorded at least two hits on Wednesday and Drake and Litumbe had two RBI each.
Georgia State has now won five games in a row as they return to conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Texas State beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) for the latest news.
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Bobcats Fall 5-1 At No. 5/7 Texas A&M
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas State scored in the top of the first, but Texas A&M, which entered the contest ranked as high as fifth in the nation by ESPN.com/USA Softball, scored three in the fourth and two in the fifth on its way to a 5-1 win Wednesday evening.
Texas State (24-6) sent seven to the plate in the first inning, but Texas A&M's Samantha Show responded to face the minimum over the final six innings in limiting the Bobcats to a single hit.
Show finished earned the win for the Aggies (29-3) to improve to 11-2 on the season, while Randi Rupp suffered just her third loss of the season in dropping to 15-3. Show struck out three in her 7.0 innings and Rupp fanned four in her 4.1 innings of work.
Texas State scored in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead after loading the bases with two outs. Kimberlin Naivar led off the game with an eight-pitch walk, and after a fielder's choice allowed Christiana McDowell to reach, Ariel Ortiz singled down the right-field line. Taylor Webb then walked to load the bases and bring Corrina Liscano to the plate. Liscano fell behind 0-2, but came back to work the count full before hitting a sharp ground ball to third that was misplayed by the Aggie fielder, allowing McDowell to score.
Rupp sat down the first nine Aggies she faced, including four on strikes to keep the Bobcats in front 1-0 after three complete, while Texas A&M's Show settled and began her string of facing the minimum.
The Aggies scored three in the bottom of the fourth to take move in front of the Bobcats 3-1. With one out Kaitlyn Alderink reached and took second on a Bobcat throwing error and was doubled home two pitches later off the bat Riley Sartain. Kristen Cuyos then singled to left, driving home Sartain. Two batters later Cuyos came home to score after a Sarah Hudek double and an obstruction call against the Bobcats, pushing the Aggies ahead by two runs.
Tori Valdes made it 5-1 in the Aggies favor with her two-run homer to left in the home half of the fifth, effectively ending Rupp's night.
UP NEXT
Texas State hosts Sun Belt foe Georgia State for a three-game series starting Saturday, April 1. The Bobcats and Panthers are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. (CT) and 3:00 p.m. (CT) doubleheader on Saturday and a single game Sunday at noon (CT).
BOBCATS GO4THEGOAL BY LACING UP FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER AWARENESS ON APRIL 5
Texas State softball and baseball will support the Go4theGoal organization by participating in Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer games on April 5. Both games will be played in San Marcos with softball hosting Texas (6 p.m.) and baseball UTRGV (6 p.m.). Both program will wear gold shoe laces in support of the initiative. Fans are encouraged to wear gold to the games and will have a chance to donate to Go4theGoal's mission of improving the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research and granting personal wishes. For more information, visit GO4THEGOAL.ORG.
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Softball Falls to No. 16 Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. - The Georgia Southern softball team dropped a non-conference tilt to No. 16/18 Georgia on Wednesday evening. Freshman Shelby Wilson recorded two hits in the midweek contest, but the Bulldogs were able to produce five runs and clench a 5-0 win inside of Jack Turner Stadium.
Georgia Southern threatened early in the game but was not able to push a run across. Mekhia Freeman and Emily Snider each picked up a hit within the first two pitches of the ballgame and Shelby Wilson started off the second inning by knocking a double off of the centerfield wall.
UGA was able to strike first by scoring a pair of runs in the second inning to take the lead. The Bulldogs were able to extend that lead and tack on another two runs in the third, putting them up 4-0 after three innings of play. The score remained until the sixth when UGA was able to plate four more which was all they needed to implement the run rule and defeat GS, 8-0.
Shelby Wilson led the way offensively with two hits. Freeman, Snider and Morgan Robinson each recorded one.
Dixie Raley got the start and Kierra Camp finished up the game for Georgia Southern. Raley (L, 9-11) was tabbed with the loss, recording three strikeouts throughout 5.1 innings of work.
The Eagles will look to rebound this weekend as they host Louisiana for a three-game Sun Belt Conference set. GS (5-4 SBC) will play Louisiana (6-0 SBC) in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET, followed by a single game on Sunday starting at 12 p.m ET.
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SB: Mean Green Hold Off Late UTA Comeback
ARLINGTON, Texas - North Texas held off a seventh-inning UTA rally, taking the Metroplex matchup 3-2 on Wednesday night at Allan Saxe Field.
The Mavericks trailed by three going to the final frame and picked up a solo home run from Mallory Foster. UTA would get help from an error and a RBI single from Kacey Everett to put the winning run on base. However, a two-out pop fly to left ended the threat.
"These kids never quit, they never quit," UTA coach Kristie Fox said. "Sometimes I don't think they are gritty all the time, but they never quit. They really support each other and stick with each other and in the long run that is really going to help us. It is not translating right now, but I know that those kids love each other, and support each other and are ready to battle until the end everytime."
North Texas downed UTA for the second consecutive year as the Mavericks went to 17-16 for the season. North Texas improved to 18-13 in the nonconference matchup. The Mavs still lead the all-time series 27-17.
It was a pitcher's duel for most of the contest. UTA starter Sam Clakley was unblemished until a two-out rally scored the opening run in the fifth. North Texas knocked three consecutive hits that included a double to the wall and a RBI single to right. NT added to the lead in the next at-bat with a two-run homer to left by .
Clakley (12-9) finished off her 21st start of the season with seven innigs pitched, four strikeouts, nine hits and three earned runs.
"Last weekend I struggled a lot, so I made sure that today I came out and helped my team to have their back," Clakley said. "We just have to find that grit and want. We have to have the heart and desire."
The Mean Green starter, Stacey Underwood, improved to 10-5 as she struck out three.
UTA finished with six hits in the game, recording base knocks from Sandra Mendoza, Laura Curry, Krista Rude, Everett and Shelbi Sikes to go with Foster's home run. Foster's hit help extend her team-best hitting streak to five games.
Returning to Sun Belt action on the weekend, UTA hits the road for its next six games to start the month of April. The trek begins at Troy with a three-game series beginning Saturday. The Mavs then head to Georgia State the following weekend. UTA is back at Allan Saxe Field on April 14 when it hosts a SBC doubleheader against South Alabama.
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Softball Suffers Two-Game Sweep to USC Upstate
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball dropped a pair to USC Upstate on Wednesday in a midweek doubleheader at the Sywassink/Lloyd Family Softball Stadium in Boone. The Spartans routed the Mountaineers 12-1 in five innings in game one and edged App State 4-2 in game two.
Appalachian State (12-18, 0-6 SBC) made nine connections on Wednesday with Cara Parker pounding out two RBI and her seventh home run of the season, her 37th of her career. The Georgia native is only two jacks shy of tying second on the App State Career Home Runs list and is seven away from matching the No. 1 total at 44 career homers.
In the circle, four ladies made appearances against the Spartan offense and Kenzie Longanecker struck out her 80th batter of the season and is ten strikeouts away from surging onto Appalachian’s single-season records list.
Game One USC Upstate 12, App State 1 (5 innings)
The Spartans’ (29-7, 2-1 ASUN) nine-run first inning and tough pitching limited the Mountaineers as USC Upstate took game one 12-1 in five innings.
App State fell into a hole early after USC Upstate exploded out to a 9-0 lead at the top of the first on seven hits and two errors, but Parker chipped away at the Spartans’ lead in the bottom half ripping a home run over the left field fence.
In the fourth inning, the Spartans plated two more runs and added an extra in the fifth which put the game out of reach.
At the plate, Parker, Sidney Russell and Katie Mathewson all went 1-for-2, and Annaleise Kennedy and Katie Williford saw action on the mound in game one.
Game Two: USC Upstate 4, App State 2
Despite a late rally, the Mountaineers dropped a tight seventh-inning battle to USC Upstate in the nightcap.
The Spartans jumped out to a one-run lead and were able to maintain their leg up on App State until they extended their advantage scoring three more at the top of the seventh.
At the bottom half, the Apps challenged Upstate’s 4-0 lead going on a two-run rally but fell short in the process. Keri White opened the inning with a single to left field and followed with her second stolen base of the season. Next was Parker who knocked in her second RBI of the day to shrink the Spartan’s lead to 4-1. With one runner on base and two outs, the Mountaineers started to build a momentum to put themselves back in the game. Up next was Ally Walters who crashed out a RBI single, but was thrown out attempting to reach third which ended the game, 4-2.
The Mountaineers slammed out six hits with Parker going 2-for-4 at the plate.
On the mound, Longanecker turned in a solid performance limiting Upstate’s offensive attacks by recording five scoreless frames and striking out two in 6.1 innings.
Up Next
App State softball will host their first conference opponent, South Alabama, April 1-2 for a three-game weekend series. First pitch for Saturday’s doubleheader will go off a 1 p.m., and Sunday’s finale will begin at 11 a.m. at the Sywassink/Lloyd Family Softball Stadium.