MOBILE, Ala. — The South Alabama baseball team won its series opener at Western Kentucky before the Hilltoppers took the final two games, while the No. 19 South Alabama softball team won two of three games from Georgia State at Jaguar Field.
Baseball Rallies in Opener
South Alabama overcame a three-run deficit over the final three innings to beat Western Kentucky 13-10 in Friday’s opener in Bowling Green, Ky.
The Jaguars scored once in the top of the first, but Western Kentucky answered with two runs in the bottom half. South Alabama regained the lead with two runs in the fourth before the Hilltoppers scored three in the fifth to go ahead 5-3 and added a run in the sixth for a 6-3 lead.
South Alabama cut the deficit with a run in the seventh and took a 7-6 lead with three runs in the eighth. The Jaguars broke the game open with six runs in the top of the ninth for a 13-6 lead, and Western Kentucky scored four times in the bottom of the inning before South Alabama closed out the win.
Western Kentucky evened the series Saturday with six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 7-2 win. South Alabama right-hander Kevin Hill pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed four hits before the Hilltoppers scored their first run.
Western Kentucky clinched the series with a 6-3 win Sunday, breaking a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
South Alabama fell to 17-22 overall and 7-10 in the Sun Belt. The Jaguars play at Auburn on Tuesday.
Softball Takes Series From Georgia State
South Alabama opened the series Friday with an 8-0 run-rule win in five innings. Freshman Amanda Minahan went 2-for-3 with three RBI, a walk and a run scored, her fourth three-RBI game of the season. Junior catcher Alex Breeden was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Georgia State evened the series with a 2-1 win in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Jaguar starter Farish Beard was called for eight illegal pitches by the first-base umpire in the first inning. Each illegal pitch advanced the runners a base, and the calls accounted for both Georgia State runs. Hannah Campbell pitched in relief and held the Panthers scoreless, but South Alabama managed only one run. Georgia State outhit the Jaguars 5-4.
The rubber game was scoreless through five innings before each team scored in the sixth. In the bottom of the ninth, Minahan walked and Emily Messer singled, and Stephanie Pilkington lined a two-out single into the left-center gap to score Minahan for a 2-1 win.
South Alabama plays at LSU in Baton Rouge on Wednesday in its final nonconference game of the regular season.
Men’s Golf Opens Sun Belt Championship
The South Alabama men’s golf team begins play Monday in the Sun Belt Conference Championship at Grand Bear Golf Course in Saucier, Miss. The Jaguars have two top-five finishes this spring and have shot par or better as a team four times in their last three events.
Junior Michael Garretson has recorded five rounds of par or better in his last three tournaments, including a 6-under 66 to open the Linger Longer Invitational on March 22. He leads the team with a 72.45 stroke average. Junior Tyler Klava’s 72.83 average ranks fourth in the conference.
Tennis Teams Fall in Sun Belt Finals
The second-seeded South Alabama men’s tennis team reached the Sun Belt Championship final with a 4-0 win over third-seeded Georgia State on Saturday before falling to top-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday.
The South Alabama women’s team lost 4-1 to top-seeded Georgia State in the Sun Belt final. Georgia State receives the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Jaguars are 16-3.
