With a three-hit shutout in South Alabama’s season-opening win over North Carolina Central on Friday, Fairhope alum Ryley Harrison picked up her first collegiate pitching victory in historic fashion.

The Miss Softball winner from the Class of 2023 retired the first eight batters she faced and went on to become the first Jaguar to start their pitching career without allowing a run since Devin Brown on Feb. 6, 2015. Harrison scattered 3 singles over 6 innings pitched with 3 strikeouts to seal an 8-0 win out of the gates.

She wasn’t the only local alumna who etched her name in South Alabama’s record books on Friday as former Gulf Shores Dolphin outfielder Mackenzie Brasher tied a single-game record set in 2008 with 4 stolen bases. Brasher matched Evelyn Pare’s 4-steal game against Northwestern State on March 25, 2008, and moved into third all-time with 63 stolen bases in the fifth year of her collegiate career.

A 5-1 win over Notre Dame secured a Friday sweep on the first day of the season for the Jaguars.

“Two great wins today,” South Alabama head softball coach Becky Clark said. “I felt like we applied pressure in both games at the plate and on the bases. Ryley (Harrison) and Liv (Lackie) gave us solid innings and the defense played well behind them. Overall, two wins to start the season is a great way to set the tone.”

Harrison also got the nod to start the following day against St. John’s. Although she walked away with a no-decision, she surrendered only 1 earned run on 5 hits over 5 innings pitched. The Jaguar bats came around late and delivered a 3-2 win to start play on Saturday.

After a 6-3 loss to Missouri on Saturday, South Alabama bounced back with a 3-2 win over Central Arkansas on Sunday to finish the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida with a 4-1 record to start the season.

With a hit and run in the finale, Brasher’s 172 career hits are now tied for fifth all-time in Jaguar history with Kamdyn Kvistad from 2018-22. Brasher’s 113 runs scored are now tied for sixth place with Kaitlyn Griffith from 2012-15.

So far on South Alabama’s young season, Brasher has recorded a .333 batting average with an OPS of .722 across 18 at-bats. She’s logged 6 hits, 5 runs, 1 RBI and owns the 4-for-4 stolen base percentage.

The Jaguars are set to host the South Alabama Invitational tournament this weekend in Mobile.