Saturday, February 23
Mobile, Ala.
4:05 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
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No. 25 Illinois
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Illinois
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Stephen F. Austin
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Photo by: SFA Athletics
Ladyjacks Pick up Second Top-25 Win of Season, Top No. 25 Illinois 7-2
2/23/2019 11:16:00 PM | Softball
SFA splits games on second day of Mardi Gras Invitational, improves to 2-1 against Power Five opponents as Brittany Crawford tallies six RBI
SFA (10-5) vs. Hofstra (1-6)
Sunday, Feb. 24 | 11:15 a.m. | Jaguar Field | Mobile, Ala.
Live Stats | Tickets
Tournament Central
Sunday, Feb. 24 | 11:15 a.m. | Jaguar Field | Mobile, Ala.
Live Stats | Tickets
Tournament Central
MOBILE, Ala. – For the second time in 2019, the SFA softball team downed one of the nation's top teams as the Ladyjacks earned a 7-2 victory over 25th-ranked Illinois Saturday afternoon at Jaguar Field in Mobile, Alabama. Behind redshirt sophomore center fielder Brittany Crawford's four RBI, the Ladyjacks (10-5) improved to 2-1 against Power Five opposition this season.
The Fighting Illini (9-3) entered the game ranked as the 18th-best program in the nation according to the latest Softball America poll, No. 24 according to the ESPN/USA Softball rankings and 25th in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) top 25 poll. The triumph over Illinois marks the first time since 2014 the Ladyjacks have claimed multiple top-25 wins in the same season.
Crawford tallied six RBI across SFA's two games at the Mardi Gras Invitational Saturday with the Ladyjacks splitting games. SFA's offense erupted to out-hit both Illinois and tournament host South Alabama, lining 19 hits and scoring 12 runs on the day.
"Today was fun and the energy was great," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the two games. "I'm proud of every kid wearing purple today, they showed maturity and focus by bouncing back from yesterday and beat one of the best teams in the country. We had excellent outings from (Ashley) Kriesel and our hitters."
"Game two, even though it wasn't the outcome we wanted, the game itself made our team and players better," continued coach Dickson. "You can't create those types of situations in practice. The experiences we are gaining playing at this level are just preparing us for moments down the road. Seeing our team fight today, seeing our kids make adjustments and just flat out compete hard, reinforces how dangerous we can be contending for a Southland Conference title. I'm excited and thankful to be on this journey with these ladies and this team."
Game One | Win | SFA 7 – No. 25 Illinois 2
After the Fighting Illini took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a two-out double followed by an RBI single from designated player Bella Loya, the Ladyjacks knotted things up in the bottom of the frame. A pair of leadoff singles from sophomore second baseman Bryana Novegil and senior first baseman Margarita Corona preceded a Madison Clements RBI hit-by-pitch.
With junior Galveston College transfer right-hander Ashley Kriesel steady inside the circle, SFA scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead. Corona led off the frame with a double to right center field before Crawford launched her third home run of the season, a two-out two-run shot over the left center field fence as senior pinch runner Courtney Brown was brought home. Following a single to left field by junior left fielder Clements, junior North Texas transfer third baseman Lindsay Gregory knocked in an RBI double to left center to give the Ladyjacks the 4-1 advantage.
SFA would increase its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Crawford hit a two-out two RBI double to right center field following a pair of singles from sophomore designated player Triniti Kendzior and freshman right fielder Cassidy Tucker.
Illinois made it a 6-2 game in the top of the fifth, scoring on a RBI single from third baseman Annie Fleming after a leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and base-advancing groundout. The Ladyjacks tacked on their seventh run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-2 lead following a Novegil single, fielder's choice, Fighting Illini fielding error, another fielder's choice and a second Illinois error that scored freshman pinch runner Alex Hedspeth.
Kriesel, who finished the game with seven strikeouts, made the score go final by retiring three-straight in the top of the seventh with a pair of strikeouts. She picked up her third complete game win of the season to improve to 3-1.
Crawford finished the game 2-for-3 with four RBI, a run scored and a walk, while Novegil and Corona were both 2-for-4.
The Fighting Illini's Fleming went 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. Starter Sydney Sickels (5-2) struck out six in three and 2/3 innings of work but gave up six earned runs to take the loss.
Game Two | Loss | South Alabama 6 – SFA 5
The Ladyjacks used a four-run third inning to mount a 4-2 lead and scored an insurance run off the bat of designated player Hedspeth, but a three-run bottom seventh inning by the Jaguars (7-6) spoiled SFA's chances of going 2-0 on the day.
After one and a half scoreless innings of play, South Alabama took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer over the left field fence by first baseman Abby Krzywiecki. However, the Ladyjacks' offense erupted in the top of the third as SFA scored four runs on six hits.
Senior shortstop Emily Wolfe singled up the middle before Novegil tripled to left field for an RBI. Moments later, Hedspeth knocked in an RBI single up the middle to tie things up at 2-2. Following a stolen base by Hedspeth and a single by Tucker, Crawford hit a two RBI single down the left field line to give the Ladyjacks the 4-2 advantage.
Freshman right-handed reliever Kassidy Wilbur entered the circle in the bottom of the third and held the home team to just one hit over the next two innings as she fanned four, but the Jaguars would make it a one-run affair in the bottom of the fifth.
South Alabama collected an unearned run when shortstop Kennedy Cronan hit a two-out RBI single to right field following a Ladyjack fielding error, sacrifice bunt and a single. With bases loaded, Wilbur notched her fifth strikeout of the night to get the Ladyjacks out of the inning without any further damage.
Neither team was able to do much offensively in the sixth before Hedspeth led off the the top of the seventh with a solo home run deep over left field, her second long ball of the season increasing SFA's lead back to two at 5-3.
The Jaguars pinch hit freshman Victoria Ortiz with one out in the bottom of the seventh and she produced her first career hit, a solo home run over the right field fence to make it a one-run game once again at 5-4. After a Ladyjack throwing error, Cronan hit an RBI double to left center to knot things up at five-all before a pair of walks. South Alabama then got the 7-6 walk-off win on a two-out RBI walk.
Hedspeth finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a walk, while Novegil was 2-for-3 as well with an RBI, a run and a walk. Wilbur (5-4) took the loss on the rubber after registering seven strikeouts and allowing just one earned run in four and 2/3 innings of relief work. Kriesel got the start inside the circle and allowed just one hit with two strikeouts in two innings.
The Jaguars' Cronan went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored as Krzywiecki was 1-for-2 with three RBI, a run and a walk. South Alabama righty relief pitcher Samantha Yarbrough (2-3) earned the win after striking out seven and allowing just two hits in four and 2/3 innings.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks will wrap up Mardi Gras Invitational play Sunday morning with a 11:15 a.m. tilt against the Colonial Athletic Association's Hofstra, the game can be followed via live stats at USAJaguars.com.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
-SFA-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kriesel, Ashley (3-1)
L: Sydney Sickels (5-2)
Batting:
2B: Annie Fleming 1
RBI: Annie Fleming 1 ; Bella Loya 1
SH: Kiana Sherlund 1 ; Katie Wingerter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Annie Fleming 1 ; Kailee Powell 1
Batting:
2B: Corona, Margarita 1 ; Crawford, Brittany 1 ; Gregory, Lindsay 1
HR: Crawford, Brittany 1
RBI: Crawford, Brittany 4 ; Clements, Madison 1 ; Gregory, Lindsay 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Novegil, Bryana 1 ; Brown, Courtney 1 ; Kendzior, Triniti 1 ; Hedspeth, Alex 1 ; Crawford, Brittany 1 ; Clements, Madison 1 ; Richards, Bailey 1
HBP: Clements, Madison 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
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RBI
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AB
4
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H
2
RBI
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AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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/ Softball2.1.24 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 24 x Softball
Friday, February 02
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
SFA Completes Epic Comeback: SFA Softball
Thursday, May 12
