Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama broke open a scoreless game with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on the way to an 8-0 six-inning win over Southeastern Louisiana in non-conference softball action Tuesday night at Jaguar Field.

The Lady Lions fell to 10-18 overall with the loss. South Alabama improved their mark to 16-16-1.

Freshman Jordan Logan led Southeastern with three of its five hits, while freshman Meghan Gomez had her sixth double of the season for the Lady Lions. Freshman Katelyn Thomason (3-4) took the loss in the circle for the Lady Lions, allowing four runs and five hits, while striking out five in 4.1 innings of work. Katy Neal (7-2) worked five scoreless innings, striking out seven to earn the win for the Lady Jaguars.

South Alabama mounted the game's first threat in the bottom of the second inning. Tara Donaldson led off the inning with a blooper to shallow left field that found the hole between junior leftfielder Chelsea Takacs and sophomore shortstop Katie Duhe for a leadoff double.

However, after Kait Chernomaz bunted pinch runner Kelsey Volz over to third, Thomason pitched out of the jam by striking out Marissa Boyd and Kalin Lasseter.

Southeastern mounted a threat of its own in the top of the third inning. Takacs led off the inning with a grounder to third that Boyd mishandled. Boyd rushed her throw to first and it sailed wide, allowing Tackas to take second. After Neal retired the next two batters, Logan singled to put runners at the corners. Neal came back to force sophomore Tamra Ladnier to ground out to end the frame.

The Lady Lions squandered an even better scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth inning. Senior Heather Sherrill singled to lead off the inning, which Gomez followed with a double off the left centerfield fence to put runners at second and third with no outs. Neal again recovered, striking out Duhe and freshman Lauren Coniglio, followed by a Takacs groundout to end the inning.

Thomason retired six in a row before running into trouble with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lasseter started the rally with a double off the right field fence, advanced to third on a single by Danielle Honore and scored the game's first run on a single by Kelsey Donaldson. Thomason then walked Christin Crocker to load the bases, before giving way to junior reliever Jenna Yoder.

After Yoder forced Katie McGuire to ground out, Carolina Mendoza reached on an infield single to plate Honore and keep the bases loaded. Tara Donaldson broke open the game with a bases loaded double, putting USA up, 5-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, USA scored three runs off sophomore reliever Bailey Zievert to enforce the mercy rule.

Southeastern will be back in action on Wednesday, hosting Alcorn State at 6 p.m. at North Oak Park.