PINE BLUFF, Ark. — The Southern University softball team put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball, sweeping Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a doubleheader on Saturday at the Torii Hunter Complex.
 
Game 1: Southern 4, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0
Southern (17-11, 5-4 SWAC) set the tone early and never looked back behind a stellar outing from Aaliyah Zabala, who tossed a complete-game shutout.
 
Zabala (8-3) scattered eight hits across seven innings while striking out six and keeping UAPB (8-16, 3-4) off the scoreboard despite multiple scoring threats.
 
The Lady Jaguars struck quickly in the first inning. Asia George sparked the offense with a leadoff single, then used her speed to steal second and third. Laila Clark drove her in with an RBI single before Abigail Mitchell followed with a triple to push the lead to 2-0.
 
Southern added to its advantage in the third inning when George doubled and later scored on an RBI play from Ava Wallace, extending the lead to 3-0.
 
Wallace delivered again in the fifth inning with an RBI single to score Keira Miracle-Tilford, giving Southern a 4-0 cushion.
 
George led the offense with three hits and two runs scored, while Wallace and Mitchell each drove in a pair and one run, respectively.
 
Game 2: Southern 13, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9
The Lady Jaguars carried that momentum into game two, using a balanced offensive attack and timely hitting to outlast UAPB in a high-scoring contest.
 
After falling behind early, Southern responded in the third inning with a two-run rally highlighted by a triple from Calli Schell and an RBI groundout from George to cut into the deficit.
 
The game shifted in the fifth inning when Southern capitalized on defensive miscues, scoring three runs to take the lead. The Lady Jaguars continued to apply pressure in the sixth, adding three more runs behind key hits from George and aggressive baserunning.
 
Southern broke the game open in the seventh inning, plating four runs to create separation. Prestaisha White delivered a key two-RBI play, while Katiana Maldonado and George added RBI hits to extend the lead.
 
George paced the offense with three hits, four RBIs, and a triple, while Maldonado scored four runs and reached base multiple times. White added three RBIs, and Clark chipped in with two hits and an RBI.
 
In the circle, Jordynn Jennings (6-2) earned the win in relief, tossing 4.2 innings, while Zabala closed the door in the seventh.
 
UP NEXT
Southern returns to Lady Jaguar Field to take on Xavier of Louisiana on Tuesday, March 24 for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.


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