South Alabama’s softball team defeated Georgia State 7-1 on April 12, securing a series victory at Jaguar Field. The Jaguars scored in each of the first three innings and limited the Panthers to just three hits during the game.
The win is significant for South Alabama as it demonstrates both offensive consistency and effective pitching ahead of an important upcoming series. Head coach Becky Clark said, “It was a tough loss on Friday night. Those are the kind that you take home with you. I thought we responded yesterday and then coming out and doing what they did today made for two big wins. I’m proud of our kids for their effort. I thought these were two team wins with a lot of people working to do a lot of little things and string a lot of little things together. I think that’s a big deal. It’s a good way for us to go into this next week, because this series coming up is a pretty big one.” Clark also addressed the challenge ahead: “It’s a big weekend ahead on the road. Marshall’s playing really well and they’ve done a great job up there. [They have] a well-coached team and a very, very good team. We’ll go up there and hopefully do what we did here — and I don’t mean the win column… we’ve got to play together. After that, let the results take care of themselves.”
Olivia Branstetter led South Alabama offensively by going 3-for-4 with three different types of hits—single, double, triple—and contributing both an RBI and run scored. Freshman Gracie McDonald made her first collegiate start, collecting two hits, scoring twice, stealing one base, and driving in her first career run.
Sydney Scapin started in the circle for South Alabama (26-19 overall), holding Georgia State (24-22) to just two hits before Ryley Harrison pitched four innings in relief to earn her fifth save this season.
Branstetter reflected on how her team’s mindset changed after Friday’s loss: “We’ve been play good ball here and there, and we just need to keep it going… We had a talk as a team… we needed to come together… bring the fun back into the game.” She added about her performance at bat: “I can’t lie. It wasn’t that I was seeing the ball well, I just let my hands work.” Scapin said about returning from defeat: “It was huge… gives us a huge confidence boost for us,” noting that her changeup was particularly effective.
With several players achieving personal milestones—including McDonald’s first start—and extending streaks such as Virginia Mambelli reaching base safely in 14 consecutive games, South Alabama will now prepare for its next Sun Belt Conference matchup against Marshall beginning Friday.
