In a low-scoring nail biter, the fifth-seeded South Alabama Jaguars prevailed 3-2 Saturday night in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game against the three-seeded Texas State Bobcats at Lamson Park in Lafayette, La.
The Jaguars (32-25, 13-11 SBC) utilized a pitching duo of Sydney Scapin and Ryley Harrison that silenced Texas State’s bat en-route to their first tournament title in 11 years.
Meanwhile the Bobcats (38-20, 16-8 SBC) fell just short of yet another late comeback attempt in the conference tournament after a weather delay pushed a 1:30 p.m. start by seven hours.
For the third game in a row, junior pitcher Maddy Azua started for Texas State, tossing four innings and allowed three runs on three hits.
Both teams had slow offensive starts and the beginning of the game proved to be a pitching showdown. The Jaguars started Scaping after Harrison started their quarterfinal and semifinal games, tossing three innings and shutting the Bobcats down by allowing just one hit and no runs.
The Jags threatened to score in the top of the third when senior left fielder Brooklyn Bockhaus sent a two-out triple to the left-center gap. Azua was able to force a ground out to send the game into the bottom of the third scoreless.
A long ball by senior first baseman Aiyana Coleman nearly gave Texas State the early lead, but the South Alabama center fielder knocked the ball down before it could leave the yard, limiting her to a double. The Bobcats were unable to produce a run leaving the ballgame tied going into the fourth.
The fourth inning was pivotal as South Alabama finally clocked the first punch. An RBI single followed by a deep two-run shot to left by freshman shortstop Lillie Stagner gave the Jaguars a comfortable lead.
From there, Harrison came into the game to push the Jaguars over the edge in their postseason run, but not without some issues as the Bobcats started building some momentum going into the fifth.
After Azua hit the first batter she saw, senior pitcher Emma Strood came in as relief in the fifth inning. She immediately went to work retiring the first two batters she saw. She gave up a single to the next batter, but senior right fielder Keely Williams threw out a runner at third, cutting the inning short and giving the ‘Cats some much-needed momentum.
Senior center fielder Sydney Harvey started the Bobcats rally in the bottom of the fifth with a single and advanced to second when Williams reached on error. Harvey came around to score on a single by Coleman, but Texas State ended the inning with a strikeout, stranding two potential runs.
Harrison issued back-to-back walks to the ‘Cats in the sixth and chose to intentionally walk Williams, loading the bases with two outs to face senior shortstop Sami Hood. The inning ended with a strikeout as Texas State missed yet another scoring opportunity.
A solo-shot off the bat of junior second baseman Kat Zarate gave Texas State life in the seventh inning. Redshirt freshman left fielder Harley Vestal followed with an infield single but was ultimately stranded on first base, ending their hopes of leaving the conference with some hardware.
Although the ‘Cats were unable to secure the conference title and the automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament, they are still very likely to have their names called in Sunday’s Selection Show based on their stacked resume from the regular season, but nothing is certain.
The Bobcats now wait for the NCAA Softball Selection show at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 10 to decide if, when and where their season will continue.
