USA Softball Face UAB This Afternoon
The #19 ranked South Alabama Jaguar softball team will be in action in Birmingham this afternoon as they take on the UAB Blazers at 4pm.
This is the second meeting between the two teams this season and is the first of six games this week for them.
The Jags opened the season with an 8-0 mercy-rule win over the then #21 ranked Blazers in the first game of the Mardi Gras Invitational in Mobile. It was the first of five games that weekend for the Jaguars where they won each game to get off to their best start in program history.
UAB (3-6) is returning to action after going 2-3 in the Baylor Getterman Classic where their wins over Drake and Iowa were sandwiched between losses to #18 Missouri and #14 Baylor.
USA has an all-time record of 8-2 against the Blazers and have won the last five contests between the two teams. UAB posted an 18-3 record at home last season with the Jags being one of the three home losses.
The will travel to Orlando this weekend for five games at the Diamond 9 Classic held at Walt Disney’s Wide World of Sports.
USA Softball Splits A Pair Of Games On Saturday
The Jaguar softball team went to Baton Rouge after their trip to Athens, Georgia was cancelled due to wintry weather. So instead they picked up two games against Northwestern and #21 LSU instead.
In the first game on Saturday, the Lady Jaguars fell 2-1 against Northwestern. But in the second game of the day, they would recover and defeat the Tigers by the same score, 2-1.
The Jags (6-1) will travel to UAB for a Wednesday game against the Blazers before they head to Orlando, Florida for the Diamond 9 Classic where they will face Indiana, Purdue University Fort Wayne, East Carolina, Lehigh, Mercer and Georgia.
USA’s Farish Beard took her first loss since April 18, 2012 against the Wildcats after giving up both runs (unearned) in the first inning. She hit the leadoff batter and she would eventually score on a Jaguar error. Mari Majam reached on the error and scored two batters later.
USA second baseman Julie Moss hit a sac fly to scored Amanda Minahan to cut the led to 2-1, but the Jags could not make any further inroads into the score.
Minahan, Chloe Rathburn and Alex Breeden all went 1-for-3 and represented the Jags only offensive production of the game. Beard struck out seven in five innings of work with only one walk.
In the second game the Jags wasted no time and loaded the bases in the top of the first inning.
Stephanie Pilkington drew a leadoff walk, then Blair Johnson reached on a fielding error by the LSU shortstop. Kaitlyn Griffith then singled to right center to load the bases for Rathburn, who hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Pilkington to score from third for an early 1-0 lead for USA.
In the bottom of the first, the Tigers evened the score with an RBI double to left center.
In the bottom of the fourth, LSU threatened with two runners on base with only one out, but Johnson executed a double play to get Hannah Campbell out of a pickle where she had hit a batter and allowed a single up the middle.
In the top of the fifth, Pilkington added to her team leading RBI total by driving in Emily Messer, who pinch ran for Taylor Rodgers after a walk.
USA Softball Heads To Baton Rouge Instead Of Athens Georgia
The University of South Alabama softball team will not make their trip to Athens, Georgia this weekend. The 2014 Georgia Softball Classic has been cancelled due to wintry conditions.
Instead the Jaguars have picked up a trip to Baton Rouge. They will face Northwestern on Saturday at 10am then the #21 ranked LSU Tigers at 3pm.
“We were looking forward to facing some quality opponents in Athens [Ga.] this weekend,” said head coach Becky Clark. “But, fortunately, LSU was able to work us into their tournament, so we’re happy to still face a couple of quality teams on Saturday.”
USA Softball Move Up In Polls
After going 5-0 in the 2014 Mardi Gras Invitational and defeating the then #21 ranked UAB Blazer, the South Alabama softball team has moved up in both polls that were released on Tuesday.
USA moved up from #20 to #18 in the USA Today/NFCA Poll and also moved up from #22 to #19 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
South Alabama is now the highest ranked team from the Sun Belt Conference after Louisiana-Lafayette fell from #13 to #20 in the USA Today Poll and from #15 to #20 in the ESPN.com poll.
UAB fell out of the of the poll after falling 8-0 to South Alabama in the opening game of the tournament and finished 1-3 for the weekend. The University of Alabama up to #4 from #6 in the USA Today poll and remained #6 in the ESPN.com poll to continue to be the highest ranked school from the state of Alabama in the latest polls.
The Jaguars travel to Athens, Georgia this weekend for the Bulldog Invitational. They will begin play at 9am on Friday against Ohio University then again at 11:30am against Mercer. On Saturday they will play Furman at 8am and Georgia at 1pm. Sunday they will play Georgia once more at 1pm.
Georgia is ranked #19 in the USA Today Poll, one spot behind the Jaguars, and #17 in the ESPN.com, one spot ahead of the Jaguars.
Farish Beard Named SBC Pitcher of the Week
Junior Farish Beard struck out 29 during the tournament to earn MVP honors and help lead the Jaguars to a 5-0 record to open the 2014 season. | Photo usajaguars.com
South Alabama’s Farish Beard was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday. This is the first weekly award announced by the conference office for Softball this season.
Farish, who has a shutout streak dating back to last season for a total of 46 consecutive innings, also extended another streak with this award. This marks the second season in a row that she has earned the Pitcher of the Week honor for the first week of play.
Beard went 3-0 over the weekend at the 2014 Mardi Gras Invitational played at the newly renovated Jaguar Field. She struck out 29 batters and only allowed three hits in 12 2/3 innings to extend her shutout streak.
She was also named to the All-Tournament team and named the tournaments Most Valuable Player as she helped the Jaguars to get off to their best start in program history with a 5-0 record.
Her season debut was against #21 ranked UAB where she struck out 10 in a mercy-rule shortened 8-0 decision.
She followed up that performance with 13 strikeouts, one short of her career high, against Syracuse. She then pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief against Austin Peay where she worked herself out of a one-out, bases loaded jam. She would finish the day with six strikeouts, no walks and only allowing one hit.
Beard and the Jaguar team travels to Athens Georgia for the Bulldog Invitational where they will face Ohio, Mercer, Furman and the Georgia Bulldog (twice).
Jags Sweep Mardi Gras Invitational
Junior Farish Beard struck out 29 during the tournament to earn MVP honors and help lead the Jaguars to a 5-0 record to open the 2014 season. | Photo usajaguars.com
The South Alabama Jaguar softball team are off to their best start in program history after a clean sweep of the Mardi Gras Invitational at Jaguar Field.
On Thursday night the Jags opened with an 8-0 win over #21 UAB in five innings after the game was called due to the mercy-rule.
On Friday, the Jaguars faced-off against Syracuse. All-American pitcher Hannah Campbell recorded 12 strikeouts as Emily Messer recorded a hit and RBI to lead the Jaguars to a 2-1 win.
After four-and-a-half scoreless innings, Messer scored the first run after she drew a walk, then advanced on Amanda Herron’s sacrifice bunt then scored when Gwen Jones reached base on a throwing error by the Orange.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kaitlyn Griffith added the other Jaguar run after she drew a walk, advanced to second base on a Chloe Rathburn sacrifice fly then scored on Messer’s infield single.
In the top of the seventh, Syracuse’s Nicole Lundstrom hit a home run in the top of the seventh inning to cut the Jaguar lead in half. Ellie Forkin singled to put the go-ahead run on base but Campbell would force a groundout to end the game.
On Saturday, the Jaguars played two games. The first against McNeese State where they won 4-1. Griffith and Alex Breeden both went 1-for-3 against the Cowgirls, but both hits her homeruns. Griffith smashed a three-run shot in the bottom of the third inning to give the Jaguars a 3-0 lead.
Freshman Holly McKinnon made her debut against McNeese State, she struck out four through the first three innings. In the top of the fifth inning, McKinnon walked back-to-back batters then allowed Lauren Lagner to deliver an RBI single to cut the lead to 4-1.
Jaguar coach Becky Clark inserted Hannah Campbell to toss the final 2 2/3 innings in relief while striking out four, one walk and one hit to earn her first save of the season and 13th of her career.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Breeden added an insurance run with a one-out solo shot to left field.
Later on Saturday, the Jaguars faced Syracuse again after their 2-1 win the day before. The game only lasted an hour as the Jags run-ruled the Orange 8-0 in five innings.
Breeden led off the bottom of the second inning with her second solo home run of the day. Pilkington drove in freshman Amanda Minahan with a double to right center. Blair Johnson made it 4-0 with a two-run home run in left center field.
Gwen Jones was drove in after pinch-running for Clara Bowen to make it 5-0 when Pilkington drove her in with a single to left field. Later Griffith smashed her second home run of the day to drive Johnson home.
Farish Beard struck out 13, one short of her career-high. The first nine outs were strikeouts for Beard and struck out 13 of the 18 batters she faced and extended her consecutive shutout innings streak.
The Jags completed the weekend sweep with a 12-0 mercy-rule win over Austin Peay on Sunday. Kaleigh Floore made her first collegiate start on Sunday.
Seven Jaguar batters recorded hits on Sunday. Alex Breeden opened the scoring with her third home run in as many games with her two-run shot scoring freshman Chloe Rathburn to put the Jaguars up 2-0. Breeden finished the day by going 2-for-3 with four RBi and a run scored.
In the third inning, Rathburn singled with an RBI to drive in Julie Moss on a throwing error. Breeden singled again in the inning to drive in Griffith and Rathburn. Freshman Amanda Minahan would draw a walk which forced in Gwen Jones for another run. Pilkington would drive in a Messer for an RBI on a fielders choice. The final score of the inning would come on Johnson’s groundout to first base to score freshman Taylor Rodgers. The Jags led 8-0 after three innings.
In the fourth inning, Minahan tripled to right center field to drive in Rodgers and Messer. Pilkington would double to right field to score Minahan. Then the final score would come by Johnson’s single to score Pilkington for the final score of 12-0.
Beard would come in to relieve Floore and struck out six batters and extended her shutout streak to 46 innings dating back to last year’s SBC Tournament.
Four Jaguars were named to the All-Tournament team: Farish Beard, Hannah Campbell, catcher Alex Breeden and infielder Kaitlyn Griffith. Farish Beard was named the 2014 Mardi Gras Invitational Most Valuable Player.
The Jaguars will have a few days off before heading to Athens, Georgia for the Bulldog Invitational where they will face Ohio, Mercer, Furman and two games against host Georgia.
20th Ranked USA Softball Mercy-Rule 21th Ranked UAB 8-0 In 5 Innings
Junior Farish Beard struck out 10 against 21st ranked UAB for the Jaguars first win of 2014. | Photo usajaguars.com
Farish Beard led the #20 ranked South Alabama Jaguar Softball team to a mercy rule win over #21 UAB on Thursday night at the newly renovated Jaguar Field. Beard struck out 10 batters while only allowing one hit to lead the Jaguars to the 8-0 win in five innings.
Beard, a Fairhope, AL native, earned her 10th career double-digit strikeout performance of her career and extended her shutout streak to 38 1/3 innings dating back to the 2013 postseason.
The Jaguars first runs came in the first inning on a Blazer error when Kristen McGrath dropped Kaitlyn Griffith’s fly to the right field wall which allowed Julie Moss to score from second base.
Stephanie Pilkington smashed a two-RBI single through the right side of the UAB defense. Blair Johnson got an RBI on a sacrifice fly to center field to score Amanda Herron to give the Jaguars a 4-0 run after two innings.
In the top of the third, after a strikeout and a forced groundout, two Blazers got on base with a single up the middle and a hit batter. But Beard would strike out the next batter to end the inning.
Freshman Chloe Rathburn would extend the Jaguar led to seven on a three-run homer to center field in only her second collegiate at-bat to score Moss and Griffith.
Beard struck out all three batters she faced in the top of the fourth inning. In the bottom half, Pilkington got her third RBI on a triple that scored Gwen Jones to give the Jaguars their 8-0 score.
Beard then struck out her 10th batter before forcing a pop-up to third and fielding a grounder up the middle an throwing out the runner at first to earn the Jaguars first win of 2014.
Beard has not lost a decision in her last 36 appearances.
Jaguar head coach Becky Clark spoke about Beard’s performance by saying, “There’s been a lot of distractions going on – the construction, the hype and that kind of stuff – so I thought for her to give us that kind of outing on day one was huge, especially in the cold tonight.”
USA out hit the Blazers 7-1 on the night. UAB’s Lannah Campbell, the twin sister of Jaguar Hannah Campbell, took the loss for the Blazers by giving up seven runs, six earned, and allowing six hits and a walk.
“I think that was about the best way you could possibly start off a season,” Clark said. “I thought the hitters were phenomenal tonight. They were balanced at the plate and waited on pitches they could drive. I thought [the young players] did a great job. They looked like they’ve been playing for us for years.”
The 2014 Mardi Gras invitational will continue through Sunday at Jaguar Field. The Jaguars will face Syracuse at 5;45 this evening.
20th Ranked Jaguar Softball Team Opens Season Tonight Versus #21 UAB
The University of South Alabama softball team will begin their 2014 season with their annual Mardi Gras Invitational to be held that the newly-renovated Jaguar Field beginning today and going through Sunday.
The #20 ranked Jaguars will host #21 ranked UAB to begin the tournament starting at 6pm today. They will then face Syracuse twice and well as McNeese State and Austin Peay through the weekend.
USA returns seven starters from the 2013 team which set records for the most wins and fewest losses with a 48-9 record. They also won their second consecutive Sun Belt Conference Tournament title and hosted their first-ever NCAA Regional.
Senior Hannah Campbell and junior Farish Beard return to the pitchers circle for the Jaguars. They combined for the nation’s third-best ERA at 1.43. Hannah was named first Jaguar to be named an All-American while Farish went a perfect 23-0 last season.
The Jags welcome six new student-athletes following the exit of graduating seniors Brittany Fowler, Britany Campbell, Meghan Collins and Jessica Dobson as well as filling the position left when Haley Fagan transfered to Auburn after last season.
Jaguar head coach Becky Clark enters her eighth season at USA and ninth overall with the university and has led the program from its inception to its first-ever preseason top-25 ranking.
South Alabama and UAB will get underway at 6pm this evening at Jaguar Field.
Go Jags!
Three Jaguars Named To Preseason All-SBC Softball Team
With the Softball season fast approaching, three South Alabama student-athletes were named to the 2014 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team as the Jags were predicted to finish 2nd in the conference this season in selections made by Conference coaches.
Senior lefty Hannah Campbell was selected to the team for the second consecutive season at pitcher. Junior outfielder Blair Johnson was also selected for the second time while junior Kaitlyn Griffith was selected for the first time in her Jaguar career. Griffith is moving from second base to shortstop to fill the position vacated by former Jaguar standout Brittany Fowler.
This is the second straight year the Jags have had at least three selected to the list, which ties for the most this season with Western Kentucky.
Campbell was the first Jaguar to have ever been named an All-American last season. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association selected her after a 22-9 season with the second best ERA in the nation at 1.08. She also set a single-season record last year in saves with six and shutouts with 10 while tossing three no-hitters, including a perfect game against Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Mobile Regionals.
Johnson made the preseason list for the second time this season after helping to lead the Jaguars to back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Tournament championships. She led the team in hits (61) for the second straight season while recording 43 runs scored and 38 RBI. She was named to the All-SBC second team in her first collegiate season in 2012 and was named to the first-team last season.
Griffith finished second on the team in home runs with 10. She led the Jags past Troy in last year’s conference tournament. She had a .577 slugging percentage last year and had a .417 on-base percentage. She drew the second-most hit-by-pitches last season with 16 and recorded a .984 fielding percentage. She displayed her defensive prowess against #9 UCLA last season when filling in for an injursed Brittany Fowler, she had five-assists and a two put-outs from the shortstop position.
Griffith was a second-team selection last season and was named to the all-tournament team as well.
USA finished second to regular-season champion Western Kentucky with Louisiana-Lafayette finishing third. The Jags and ULL faced off in the conference tital game.
The #20 ranked Jaguars open the 2014 season on Thursday, February 6 against #21 ranks UAB at Jaguar Field to to begin the Mardi Gras Invitational.
2014 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
UL Lafayette (6)-62 pts
South Alabama (2) -57 pts
WKU (0) -47 pts
Texas State (0) -33 pts
Georgia State (0) -30 pts
Troy (0) -27 pts
UT Arlington (0) -21 pts
UL Monroe (0) -11 pts
USA Softball Ranked In Another Poll; Hannah Campbell Named To Watch List
Hannah Campbell was selected to the Top-50 Watch List for the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. | usajaguars.com
The Jaguar softball team received two more honors as the season quickly approaches.
Hannah Campbell was selected to the Top-50 “Watch List” for the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award as announced by the Amateur Softball Association of America and USA Softball.
This is the 13th year the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be given by the National Governing Body for softball in the United States. It is designed to recognize the outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.
Campbell is a native of Satsuma, Alabama and finished last season with a 22-9 record and had the nation’s second-best ERA of 1.08. She was selected as a Second-Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, the program’s first-ever All-American.
She was named the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player for the second year in a row after leading the Jaguars to back-to-back conference tournament titles. She recorded six saves and 10 shutouts last year, both single-season records for USA.
She throw three no-hitters, including a perfect game against Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Mobile Regional hosted by South Alabama.
The preseason watch list includes 24 seniors, 20 juniors and six sophomores. Freshmen are ineligible.
Also, the Jags were ranked 22nd in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top-25 poll. The announcement came from the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and USA Softball.
Last week they were ranked 20th in the USA Today/National Fastpick Coaches Association Division I Preseason Top-25 Poll.
Both are firsts for the program.
The same six opponents that were ranked last week were also ranked in this poll. UAB was 21, Georgia was 23, Baylor was 18, Lousiana-Lafayette was 13 and LSU was 17.
Virginia Tech and Western Kentucky received votes but were not ranked.