Jags Softball Sweep Texas-Arlington; Baseball Win Series against Arkansas State
Softball
The #22 ranked South Alabama Jaguar softball team swept Texas-Arlington over the weekend in Texas. This was their third consecutive conference series sweep.
On Friday, the Jags opened the double-header with a 6-3 win behind Farish Beard’s season-high-tying 12 batters with three run allowed (two earned) on four hits in a complete game effort.
The Mavericks jumped out to an early lead by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a two-out, two-run double to right field. The runners reached base on a throwing error and a walk.
But the Jaguars would respond with six runs spread across the fourth and fifth innings. Kaitlyn Griffith led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to left field. Blair Johnson scored to tie the game 2-2 when freshman Haleigh Lowe singled. Amanda Herron homered to center field to put the Jags ahead 4-2.
In the fifth inning Griffith and Johnson hit back-to-bak solo homers to put the Jaguars lead at 6-2.
UTA catcher Kacey Everett led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo homer to right but Beard would retire the next three batters in order to put the game in the books.
Griffith finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored on two solo home runs. Johnson also finished 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, one of her hits being a home run. Lowe finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Amanda Minahan was 2-for-4 in the game as well.
In the second game of the double header the Jags hot bats continued by scoring three runs in the top half of the first inning. Chloe Rathburn started it with a two-run single then Johnson added a two-out RBI base hit later in the inning.
But the Mavericks took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when they put up 4 runs.
The Jags would score five unanswered runs to seal th win.
In the top of the third, Stephanie Pilkington reached on a fielder’s choice then stole second base. Rathburn hit a two-out single through the left side of the infield to score Pilkington and tie the game at 4-4.
In the top of the fifth inning, Griffith drew a leadoff walk then Johnson reached base on a hit. Herron then hit a two-run single to put the Jags ahead 6-4. Herron also led off the top of the seventh with a solo homer to right field. Kristian Foster hit a double and was pinch ran for by Kaleigh Todd, then Pilkington hit an RBI double to score Todd.
Freshman Devin Brown got the start but was replaced by Kalen McGill in the second inning after Brown gave up four unearned runs on one hit with four walks and two strikeouts.
In the finale on Saturday, the Jags cruised to a 9-1 win over the Mavericks after never trailing in the game and pounding out 18 hits, falling one hit short of tying a program record.
McGill earned her fifth consecutive voctory after pitching five innings of shutout relief to improve her record to 12-1 on the season. She struck out four and scattered four hits.
USA opened the scoring in the top of the second when Griffith hit a solo home run, her third homer of the weekend. Johnson drew a walk and scored when Alyssa Linn hit a two-out single down the left field line.
In the top of the third inning Pilkington hit a one-out solo homer to straightaway center field put the Jags ahead 3-0.
The Mavericks answered in the bottom of the third with their only run of the game. Beard allowed a leadoff walk and a single before being replaced by McGill. McGill would load the bases after hitting a batter then a single up the middle would score the only run.
In the top of the fifth, Herron would hit a two-out RBI double to score Griffith and put the Jaguars ahead 5-1.
McGill would load the bases in the bottom of the sixth but a fielder’s choice would get the Jags out of the situation without allowed a run.
In the top of the seventh, Johnson led off with an infield single and was followed by freshman Taylor Bahos with a pinch-hit. Herron loaded the bases with a hit through the left side. Minahan would single up the middle to score Johnson for a 6-1 lead.
Emily Messer would get a base hit to score Lowe, then Foster would drive in Minahan to make it 8-1. Finally Pilkington finished off the scoring with a base hit to left field to score Messer.
USA improved their record to 27-7 on the season. Texas-Arlington falls to 22-18 on the season.
USA will play host Nicolls State on Wednesday.
Baseball
The South Alabama baseball team took two of the three games agaisnt Arkansas State to win their third-consecutive Sun Belt Conference series.
The Jags scored 10 runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 13-10 to open the series. Every Jaguar starter recorded at least one hit. Matt Bolger led the team with a career high three hits by going 3-for-5 with a double, two RBi and a run scored. Gann added two hits, one being a double, with two RBI and two runs scored.
Kevin Hill earned his fourth win of the season, allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits while striking out six and issuing one walk.
Arkansas State evened the series with a 4-1 win over the Jags in the second game of the series. Austin Bembnowski (2-3) allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks in the loss.
On Sunday, Jared Gates pitched the Jags to the 2-1 series win over the Red Wolves. He struck out a career-high nine batters after pitching 8 1/3 innings. He allowed only four hits and one unearned runs while walking eight.
Ben Taylor threw 2/3 of an inning of relief for his fourth save of the season.
The Jags opened with two runs in the top of the first inning after Cole Billingsley singled to center field then stole second base. Adam Ballew reached on a two-out walk then Danny Martinez hit a two-run double to right field to score the Jags only runs of the game.
The Red Wolves would load the bases three times against Gates, but each time he would pitch out of the situation.
The Jags improve their record to 22-11 overall and 9-6 in conference play. ASu falls to 13-17 overall and 4-10 in conference play.
The Jags will travel to Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday for a mid-week matchup.