MOBILE, Ala. – No. 21 University of South Alabama softball wrapped up the 2014 Mardi Gras Invitational with a 12-0, run-rule defeat of Austin Peay to secure its best-ever start to a season, 5-0, on Sunday.
Four Jaguars were named to the all-tournament team, and right-hander Farish Beard was named the 2014 Mardi Gras Invitational Most Valuable Player after securing her third win of the season versus the Lady Govs.
Beard came on in relief of Kaleigh Floore – making her first collegiate start on Sunday – and struck out six APSU batters to extend her shutout streak to 46 innings, dating back to last year’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Beard went 3-0 on the weekend, striking out 29 batters in 12 2/3 innings and allowing only three hits.
USA will now rest four days before heading to Athens, Ga., to face Ohio, Mercer, Furman and Georgia (twice) at the 2014 Bulldog Invitational, hosted by UGA.
“I thought it was big for us to come out and set the tone like that for the season,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “It was big for us to get off on the right foot in front of our home crowd, with a long road stretch coming up.”
Seven Jaguar batters recorded hits on Sunday, and USA exploded after the first inning to record its third mercy-rule victory of the young season. Sydney Hooper took the loss for Austin Peay, giving up four runs (earned) and three hits. Lauren de Castro pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief and gave up eight runs (earned) on six hits. Each combined to walk seven USA batters.
South Alabama junior catcher Alex Breeden went yard for the third game in a row when she crushed a two-run shot to left center to give USA a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the second. Breeden finished the day 2-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored to lead all USA batters. The club ended the day with 12 total hits to APSU’s two.
Freshman Chloe Rathburn went 2-for-2 on Sunday with an RBI and two runs scored. Amanda Minahan, making only her second collegiate start, drove in three runs on one hit with a run scored. Stephanie Pilkington and Blair Johnson each supplied two RBI apiece, the former also rounding home once.
“I think it’s awesome when some of your new people can come in and contribute right away,” Clark added of the newcomers that produced on the weekend. “That’s your goal when you’re recruiting. It helps from a depth standpoint. As you go early on, you’re trying to see what people can do; moving people through the lineup and seeing how they respond in certain situations. It’s great to see those kids step up and get the job done.”
The 12-0 scoreline marked USA’s largest margin of victory since defeating Louisiana-Monroe, 14-0, in five innings on April 20, 2013.
USA exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third, beginning with Rathburn’s RBI infield single that scored Moss after an Austin Peay throwing error. Breeden then supplied her third and fourth RBI of the day with a single to center field that allowed Rathburn and Kaitlyn Griffith, who walked before, to round home.
The Jaguars then loaded the bases after Emily Messer drew a walk and Taylor Rodgers reached on a fielder’s choice. Minahan drew a walk to send everyone around, and Pilkington reached in similar fashion to send the carousel about once more. Johnson’s subsequent groundout allowed Rodgers to score one more, making it 8-0 USA after three innings.
Beard struck out three straight Lady Govs in the top of the fourth after Mel Pavel reached on a USA throwing error before the Jags added four more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Messer got things going with a two-out double to right center and was joined on the base path by Rodgers who was hit by a pitch.
Minahan followed with a two-RBI triple to score the pair before touching home plate herself on Pilkington’s double to the right corner. Johnson then singled to score Pilkington for the final 12-0 margin. Beard ended the contest with two more strikeouts and a forced fly out to right field.
Pilkington led USA at the plate this weekend, going 8-for-14 with seven RBI and three doubles, two triples and four runs scored. The sophomore of Lake City, Fla., batted .571, slugged 1.071 and recorded an on-base percentage of .647.
Breeden batted .385 in the tournament with three homers, one more than her season total last season, with six RBI and three runs scored. The Melbourne, Fla., native slugged 1.077 to lead all USA batters. Messer was 5-for-11 (.455) with four runs scored and a .538 on-base percentage.
Johnson and Griffith recorded five RBI apiece, and combined for eight runs scored. All but one of Rathburn’s four hits went for extra bases, the freshman producing two doubles and a homer for four RBI. Gwen Jones scored four runs on the weekend, while Julie Moss supplied three, and Amanda Herron, one.
Hannah Campbell was 1-0 with a save at the tournament, striking out 16 and allowing only one run (earned) and a single walk in 9 2/3 innings. Freshman Holly McKinnon picked up her first career win against McNeese State on Saturday after striking out four in 4 1/3 innings.
Overall, USA outscored its opponents, 34-2, outhit them, 34-12, and batted .318 to opponents’ .119. The Jags slugged .636 as a team and recorded an overall on-base percentage of .409. USA hit seven home runs and was successful on all seven stolen base attempts.
The USA pitching staff recorded a 0.48 ERA in 29 total innings, allowing only two runs (earned) and striking out 50 batters.
“I hope [winning the first five games] did a lot fo [our confidence],” Clark concluded. “We’ve seen what we can do when we lock in and play the right way. When we take care of the little things, we’re a good team. When we don’t, we’re an average team. I think it’s good for us to see that when we do it the right way it looks pretty good.”
Mardi Gras Invitational Tournament MVP
Farish Beard, P, USA
Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team
Farish Beard, P, USA
Hannah Campbell, P, USA
Alex Breeden, C, USA
Kaitlyn Griffith, IF, USA
Kim Kennedy, IF, McNeese State
Lauren Langner, OF, McNeese State
Julie Wambold, IF, Syracuse
Nicole Landstrom, UT, Syracuse
Lauren De Castro, OF, Austin Peay
Caitlin Attfield, IF, UAB
