MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama softball swept a three-game Sun Belt Conference series from Appalachian State over the weekend, and South Alabama baseball won two of three games against Texas State at Eddie Stanky Field.
The softball team improved to 21-6 overall and 5-3 in the Sun Belt. The baseball team stands at 15-9 overall and 5-4 in conference play.
Softball: Opener Built on Early Lead
South Alabama scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning of the series opener. Emily Messer reached on a fielding error, and Stephanie Pilkington singled and stole second base. Chloe Rathburn doubled to left-center field to make it 2-0, and Blair Johnson added a two-out single to right-center for a 3-0 lead.
Appalachian State scored in the top of the fifth on a South Alabama fielding error. The Jaguars answered with three runs in the bottom half. Haleigh Lowe drew a one-out walk, Messer and Amanda Minahan followed with back-to-back singles, and Pilkington cleared the bases with a three-run double for a 6-1 lead.
Farish Beard retired Appalachian State in order in the sixth and seventh innings to earn her third win of the season. Over her last 20 innings, Beard has struck out 28 batters while allowing three walks, eight hits and one earned run.
Softball: Johnson’s Walk-Off Triple
Appalachian State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the second game on a two-run home run to right field.
South Alabama cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second when Lowe drew a leadoff walk and scored on a single by Kaleigh Todd. The Jaguars managed only a hit and a walk from there until the bottom of the sixth, when Kaitlyn Griffith singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lowe and stole third, but she was stranded when the next two batters popped out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Alyssa Linn singled through the right side as a pinch hitter. Pilkington reached on a bunt single when two infielders collided fielding the ball, and Rathburn flied out. Johnson then hit a two-run triple down the right-field line to give South Alabama a 3-2 walk-off win.
The triple was the eighth of Johnson’s career, the second-most in program history. She also moved into fourth place in school history with 195 games played. Griffith is seventh with 184.
In Saturday’s two games, Pilkington went 3-for-7 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Amanda Herron had two doubles, and Messer and Lowe each scored two runs.
Softball: Run-Rule Finale
South Alabama completed the sweep Sunday with an 8-0 run-rule win, scoring five runs in the first inning and three in the fifth.
Beard earned her fourth win in as many appearances since returning a week ago. She struck out five, walked two and carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Appalachian State collected two hits. She then retired six of the last seven batters she faced.
Lowe went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a run scored. Griffith and Rathburn each drove in a run and scored a run, and Messer was 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored.
South Alabama travels to Baton Rouge, La., to face No. 1 LSU at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Baseball: Hill Dominates Series Opener
Kevin Hill pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out 10, as South Alabama beat Texas State 7-1 on Friday night. The win was Hill’s second of the season.
Eight Jaguar starters recorded at least one hit. Ballew went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Cole Gleason was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Cole Billingsley had two hits, scored twice and stole three bases. Bud Collura added two hits, an RBI and a run.
Baseball: Gann Ends It in the 11th
Ben Gann’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 11th inning gave South Alabama a 2-1 win Saturday and clinched the series.
With one out, Danny Martinez and Gleason singled back-to-back, and Jason Cryar drew a walk to load the bases. Gann lifted the first pitch he saw into shallow right field, scoring Martinez with the winning run.
Baseball: Bobcats Avoid Sweep
Texas State scored four runs in the eighth inning Sunday and held on for an 8-7 win to avoid a sweep. South Alabama put the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth but could not bring it home.
Texas State is 10-12-1 overall and 6-3 in the Sun Belt.
South Alabama hosts Alabama at Eddie Stanky Field at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
