MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama softball won all five of its games at the Mardi Gras Invitational at Jaguar Field, outscoring opponents 34-2 over four days to open the 2014 season with the best start in program history.
The South Alabama softball team beat No. 21 UAB, Syracuse twice, McNeese State and Austin Peay. Three of the five victories ended early under the run rule, and Farish Beard was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Thursday: Run-Rule Win Over No. 21 UAB
The Jaguars opened the season Thursday night with an 8-0 victory over 21st-ranked UAB. The game was stopped after five innings under the run rule.
Friday: Campbell Strikes Out 12 in 2-1 Win Over Syracuse
All-American pitcher Hannah Campbell struck out 12 as South Alabama edged Syracuse 2-1.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. Emily Messer drew a walk, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Amanda Herron and scored when Gwen Jones reached on a throwing error by the Orange.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kaitlyn Griffith walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice fly by Chloe Rathburn and scored on an infield single by Messer, who finished with a hit and an RBI.
Syracuse’s Nicole Lundstrom homered in the top of the seventh to make it 2-1, and Ellie Forkin followed with a single to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate. Campbell got a groundout to end the game.
Saturday: Two More Wins
South Alabama 4, McNeese State 1. Griffith and Alex Breeden each went 1 for 3 against the Cowgirls, and both hits were home runs. Griffith’s three-run homer in the bottom of the third put South Alabama ahead 3-0, and Breeden added a one-out solo homer to left field in the bottom of the sixth.
Freshman Holly McKinnon made her collegiate debut in the circle and struck out four batters through three innings. In the top of the fifth, she walked two straight hitters, and Lauren Lagner followed with an RBI single for McNeese State’s only run.
Head coach Becky Clark brought in Campbell, who pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out four while allowing one hit and one walk. Campbell earned her first save of the season and the 13th of her career.
South Alabama 8, Syracuse 0. In a rematch with Syracuse later Saturday, the Jaguars won 8-0 in five innings in a game that lasted about an hour.
Breeden led off the bottom of the second with her second solo home run of the day. Pilkington doubled to right-center to drive in freshman Amanda Minahan, and Blair Johnson hit a two-run homer to left-center for a 4-0 lead. Gwen Jones, pinch-running for Clara Bowen, scored on a Pilkington single to left to make it 5-0, and Griffith later hit her second home run of the day, driving in Johnson.
Beard struck out 13 of the 18 batters she faced, one short of her career high, and recorded each of the game’s first nine outs by strikeout.
Sunday: 12-0 Over Austin Peay
South Alabama closed the tournament with a 12-0 run-rule win over Austin Peay. Kaleigh Floore made her first collegiate start, and seven Jaguars recorded hits.
Breeden opened the scoring with a two-run homer that also brought in freshman Chloe Rathburn, giving her a home run in three consecutive games. Breeden went 2 for 3 with four RBIs and a run scored.
South Alabama scored six runs in the third inning:
- Rathburn singled and drove in Julie Moss, who scored on a throwing error.
- Breeden singled home Griffith and Rathburn.
- Minahan drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Gwen Jones.
- Pilkington’s fielder’s choice brought in Messer.
- Johnson’s groundout to first scored freshman Taylor Rodgers for an 8-0 lead.
In the fourth, Minahan tripled to right-center to drive in Rodgers and Messer, Pilkington doubled to right to score Minahan, and Johnson singled home Pilkington to end the game at 12-0.
Beard relieved Floore and struck out six, extending her scoreless-innings streak to 46 innings, dating to last season’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
All-Tournament Honors
Four Jaguars were named to the All-Tournament team:
- Farish Beard, pitcher (Most Valuable Player)
- Hannah Campbell, pitcher
- Alex Breeden, catcher
- Kaitlyn Griffith, infielder
Up Next
After a few days off, South Alabama travels to Athens, Ga., for the Bulldog Invitational. The Jaguars will play Ohio, Mercer and Furman and will face host Georgia twice.
South Alabama competes in the Sun Belt Conference and plays its home games at Jaguar Field on the university’s campus in Mobile.
