By Bryan Garner
Jaguar softball eliminates JMU from the SBC Tournament. Winning by the final score of 4-1. South Alabama will now move on to the semifinals where they will play the #2 seed Marshall Thundering Herd Friday at 4pm in Lafayette Louisiana.
How It Happened
South Alabama got the scoring going early in the bottom of the first inning. Meredith Keel doubled to left center to lead off the inning. Mackenzie Brasher reached on a fielding error by the 1st baseman. Keel would come around to score. The Jags led 1-0. With Gabby Stagner at the plate, Brasher would steal second. Stagner would end up striking out. That brought up Victoria Ortiz. Brasher would steal third base. Ortiz would strike out swinging for out number two. Sasha Willems would step to the plate and hit a rbi single to left field, scoring Brasher. Odayls Cordova popped up to end the inning. The Jags led 2-0.
In the bottom of the second the Jags continued to put the pressure on JMU. Welch walked walked to leadoff the inning. Emma Kropp was hit by a pitch. Erin McGlothlin would pinch run for Kropp at first base. Marley Sim laid down a sac bunt, advancing the runners to second and third. Keel would deliver with a sac fly rbi scoring Welch Jags led 3-0. Brasher would follow with an rbi single to shortstop. Stagner would pop out to end the inning, the Jags lead 4-0.
JMU would get on the board in the fifth, picking up 1 run and trailed 4-1.
That score would hold and become the final.
Key Stats
The Sun Belt Pitcher of the year, Olivia Lackie did her thing. She picked up the the complete game win, pitching 7 innings, giving up 1 run on 4 hits, and striking out 10.
Lackie’s record improved to 21-6 on the year.
Next Up
The Jaguars take on a very dangerous #2 seed Marshall team. Marshall is 44-9 on the year and 17-5 in the Sun Belt. Marshall had a massive 23 game winning streak earlier this season. The Jaguars have a current win streak of 14 straight and 24 out of the last 28. South has an overall record of 39- 13 and 20-4 in the Sun Belt. Fridays first pitch is set for 4 pm
Bryan’s Takes
The Jaguars picked up some seasonal awards. Head coach Becky Clark picked up the Sun Belt Coach Of The Year award, her second straight and third of her coaching career. Olivia Lackie picked up the Sun Belt Pitcher Of The Year and has a first team All-Sun Belt honor.
Meredith Keel and Victoria Ortiz have also picked up first team All Sun Belt honors. Jenna Hardy and Mackenzie Brasher were named second team All Conference.
The Jags have a tough test ahead of them. Marshall is a good team. The winner will play in the finals. The Jags have an RPI of 42. Marshall is at 60. The Jags will have to keep the timely hitting and great pitching going, if they want to advance to Saturdays championship game of this single elimination tournament.
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