Southern University

GULFPORT, Miss. — The Southern University softball team used a six-run fifth inning to rally past Alabama State and advance to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals on Thursday at the Gulfport Sportsplex. Earlier in the day, the Lady Jaguars opened tournament play with a 2-1 victory over Bethune-Cookman.
 
Southern improved to 35-14 on the season behind strong pitching performances and timely hitting throughout the day.
 
Game One – Southern 2, Bethune-Cookman 1
Southern opened the day with a tightly contested win over Bethune-Cookman (21-28) behind a complete-game effort from Chakirrious Parker.
 
Bethune-Cookman grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Jasmine Manebo, but Parker settled in from there and kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
 
The Lady Jaguars answered in the third inning. Katiana Maldonado and Laila Clark opened the frame with back-to-back singles before Abby Mitchell tied the game with an RBI single up the middle. Later in the inning, Kira Manganello delivered the go-ahead RBI single to center field to put Southern in front 2-1.
 
Southern finished with 11 hits in the victory, led by Mitchell's 3-for-3 performance with an RBI. Asia George added two hits and two stolen bases, while Clark recorded two hits of her own.
 
Parker earned the win after tossing a complete game, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out three to improve to 7-4 on the season.
 
Game Two – Southern 7, Alabama State 3
Southern's offense came alive in the fifth inning as the Lady Jaguars erased a three-run deficit to defeat Alabama State (24-32).
 
The Hornets (24-32) scored two runs in the opening inning after taking advantage of a Southern error and added another run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Meshayla Pettaway to build a 3-0 lead.
 
Southern got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ava Wallace singled home Laila Clark to cut the deficit to 3-1.
 
The Lady Jaguars then erupted in the fifth inning.
 
George and Maldonado opened the inning with consecutive singles before Clark tied the game with an RBI triple to right field. Mitchell followed with a two-run homer to center field, giving Southern a 5-3 lead. Wallace and Izabell Astran later added RBI singles as Southern plated six runs on seven hits in the inning.
 
Mitchell finished with a home run and two RBIs, while Clark collected two hits, including a triple. Wallace drove in two runs, and Astran added two hits and an RBI in the win.
 
In the circle, Aaliyah Zabala worked four innings before Jordynn Jennings took over in relief and shut down Alabama State over the final three innings. Jennings did not allow a hit and struck out two batters to improve to 10-2 on the season.
 
Up Next
The Lady Jaguars will face Texas Southern in the SWAC Tournament semifinals at 10:30 a.m. Friday. With a win, Southern will advance to face Florida A&M at 2:30 p.m.
 
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