Mobile Courant

The University of South Alabama softball team recorded season best in hits (15) and runs (12), and six players finished with two hits or better as the Jaguars picked up a 12-2, five-inning victory at Nicholls State on Wednesday night at Swanner Field.

Caroline Nichols led all players as she was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Mackenzie Brasher, Kamdyn Kvistad, Gabby Stagner, Emma Kropp and Meredith Keel also posted two hits a piece in the win. Kvistad also scored three runs, while Nichols, Brasher and Keel also crossed the plate twice.

UP NEXT

- South Alabama (17-17, 9-4 SBC) will continue its current road trip and begin a three-game Sun Belt Conference series on Friday versus ULM. First pitch of the series opener with the Warhawks is set for 6 p.m. at the ULM Softball Complex.

Date: 4/20

Place: Swanner Field (Thibodaux, La.)

Final Score: South Alabama 12, Nicholls State 2 (5 inn.)

Records: South Alabama (17-17), Nicholls State (10-29)

Pitchers of Record: WP – Allie Hughen (1-3)  LP – Brittney Turner (5-13)

Home Runs: USA: Kamdyn Kvistad (3); NICH: Alexa Poche' (8)

SCORING

- USA (1st Inn.) | Nichols scored from third on a Colonel error (1-0, 1 out)

- USA (1st Inn.) | Kvistad singled to left, RBI; Brasher scored from second (2-0, 1 out)

- USA (1st Inn.) | Kropp singled to center, RBI; Kvistad scored from second (3-0, 2 out)

- NICH (1st Inn.) | Alexa Poche' homered to center, 2 RBI; Danielle Duplay scored from first (3-2, 1 out)

- USA (3rd Inn.) | Kvistad homered to center, RBI (4-2, 0 out)

- USA (4th Inn.) | Kvistad walked, RBI; Keel scored from third (5-2, 1 out)

- USA (4th Inn.) | Stagner reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; Nicholls scored from third (6-2, 1 out)

- USA (4th Inn.) | Belle Wolfenden singled to right, RBI; Victoria Ortiz scored from third (7-2, 2 out)

- USA (5th Inn.) | Keel doubled to left, RBI; Hughen scored from first (8-2, 0 out)

- USA (5th Inn.) | Pinch hitter Abby Allen singled to left, RBI; Keel scored from second (9-2, 0 out)

- USA (5th Inn.) | Brasher singled to left, RBI; Allen scored from third (10-2, 0 out)

- USA (5th Inn.) | Kropp singled to left, 2 RBI; Brasher scored from third, Kvistad scored from second (12-2, 2 out)

GAME FACTS

- The Jaguars jumped out to a three-run lead in the top of the first with a five-hit inning that was aided by a pair of Colonel errors.

- Nichols and Brasher recorded hits to begin the contest and then with runners at first and third, Nichols scored the first run of the inning when the throw down to second attempting to catch Brasher stealing was mishandled. Nichols then raced home to put South up 1-0.

- Kvistad followed with a single through the left side to score Brasher from second (2-0) and two batters later, Kropp plated the third run of the inning

- The Colonels got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning. Duplay walked and with one out, Poche' drove a 2-0 pitch to straight-away center to cut the South advantage to 3-2.

- Kvistad blasted a home run to center on the first pitch she saw to start the top of the third, extending South's lead to 4-2.

- Keel led off the fourth inning with a single to left and Nichols registered her third hit of the game. After both were sacrificed up a base, Ortiz was intentionally walked to load the bases. Kvistad was then credited with her second RBI of the night as she drew a walk. Stagner drove in a run with a fielder's choice and Wolfenden lined a single to right to bring in two more runs and make it 7-2.

- South's big inning of the contest came in the top of the fifth as the Jags plated five runs on four hits. After a leadoff walk to Hughen, Keel doubled to left to push the South Alabama lead to 8-2. Allen's pinch hit single scored Keel from second (9-2) and on the play, the ball was mishandled by the Nicholls' leftfielder, allowing Allen to move around to third. One batter later, Allen scored on Brasher's RBI single to left (10-2). After a walk to Shelby Sloan loaded the bases, Kropp delivered a two-run single to left to extend the lead to 12-2.

- Kvistad reached base all four of her plate appearances as she was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks to go along with her three runs scored and three RBI.

- Kropp also drove in a career-best three runs in the win.

NOTES

- South Alabama sweeps the season series with the win and has now won 16 of the 22 all-time series meetings.

- The three runs scored in the first inning matched the total scored against the Colonels in the earlier meeting this season in Mobile.

- Brasher extended both her reached base safely streak (17) and hit streaks (7) with her infield single in the opening frame.

- The 17-game reached base safely streak is tied with six other players for 18th-longest in program history.

- With her three hits, Nichols now has recorded multiple hits in each of her last three outings. It was also the 17th career multi-hit game for the senior and seventh of the spring. The three hits also tied a career-best for the senior.

- The home run by Kvistad was the 31st of her Jaguar career and the first since Feb. 26 at Mississippi State. It was also the 10th leadoff home run of her career.

- Kvistad also posted her 36th career multi-hit game, which moved her into a tie for eighth all-time at South Alabama with Jenny Stevens (2007-08, '11).

- Kvistad moved into a tie with Amanda Minahan (2014-17) for fourth all-time in career RBI as she now has 114.

- The multi-hit game was Keel's 20th as a Jag and the 32nd of her collegiate career.

- The multi-RBI game was also the 25th of her Jag career, moving her into a tie for eighth in the category with Kristian Foster (2015-18).

- The intentional walk to Ortiz – her fourth of the season – extended her reached base safely streak to 11 games.

- The 15 hits recorded by South Alabama also marked a season-best for the club, eclipsing the previous mark of 10 set twice this spring.

- The 12 runs scored also set a new season best for the Jaguars.

THEY SAID IT

Head coach Becky Clark

- On the win:

"It was great to get Allie [Hughen] going again. She gave us four quality innings and [Jenna] Hardy finished it off strong. Offensively, I thought we applied pressure the entire game. It's good to get back in the win column and we need to take this momentum into this weekend."

Junior C Emma Kropp

- On her and the team's offensive approach tonight:

"Tonight, I really focused on staying confident in my approach and getting my barrel out to the ball. I think as a team, we all attacked really well and kept the same mentality with all three pitchers that we faced, and that showed on the scoreboard. Overall, it was a great night at the plate for the team and a good start to the week."

- On Allie Hughen's performance:

"Al did an amazing job in the circle. Her confidence and compete factor really allowed her to make pitches consistently through the game. When the home run was hit off of her in the first inning, I knew she was going to come back and shut the door. That's exactly what she did. I'm proud of Allie and I'm proud of this team for coming off the bus ready to play and getting this team win."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.

Original source can be found here.