Olivia Branstetter delivered a strong performance with three hits, including a three-run home run, but South Alabama lost to Rutgers 11-3 in six innings at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida. Rutgers capitalized on errors and early scoring opportunities to secure the win.
Rutgers took control by scoring seven runs in the first two innings. They later added four more runs in the sixth inning to end the game via run-rule. South Alabama managed to reduce the deficit in the fifth inning when Branstetter’s home run brought them within four runs, but they could not contain Rutgers’ offense.
South Alabama head coach Becky Clark commented on the loss: “We dug ourselves a hole early; I didn’t think it was something that we couldn’t overcome. Olivia Branstetter’s home run got us back within four, which put us just one swing away from tying the game back up. We just got sloppy after that. We had some defensive mistakes and some bobbles, which led to some other runs. We didn’t manage the strike zone on the mound in a lot of places. We have the offense to be able to come back from a four-run deficit. We just needed to hold Rutgers there and we couldn’t do that.
“Offensively, I thought we had some places in the game where we had runners in scoring position, but didn’t have the at-bats we needed to have. Credit (Rutgers), they made some great defensive plays on some balls that we put in play hard.
“It was a tough day for us and we have to learn from it. We are a better team that what we showed out on the field today. I don’t like seeing us go from such a high yesterday to a low today; we have to even that out. All the mistakes we made today are fixable. We just need to learn from this and take care of business on Sunday.”
Key moments included two-run doubles by Kelsey Hoekstra and Addison Osborne for Rutgers in the first inning and further runs following fielding errors by South Alabama. The Jaguars left five runners on base during their scoring opportunities across five innings.
Branstetter went 3-for-3 with a double, home run, and three RBI—marking her seventh career three-hit game—and Kara Wine recorded her first two hits as a member of South Alabama.
Jaguar pitchers struggled with control issues, allowing five walks and hitting three batters while giving up 11 hits overall.
Baileigh Burtis led Rutgers offensively with three hits, one RBI, and two runs scored; Kelsey Hoekstra also contributed both as pitcher (improving her record to 2-0) and batter with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI.
The loss moves South Alabama’s season record to 2-1 as they prepare for games against North Carolina Central and Missouri on Sunday at the same tournament.
