Bri Godfrey’s RBI single in the sixth inning was the difference as Marshall beat South Alabama 3-2 in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference softball tournament Friday in Lafayette, La.

The loss eliminated the No. 3-seeded Jaguars from the tournament and ended a 14-game winning streak that stretched back to April 9. South Alabama (39-14) now must hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional field, which will be announced at 6 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2.

“Congratulations to Marshall, their staff and their kids, they’ve had a great season and I thought they played a great game,” South Alabama coach Becky Clark said. “They got it done in those moments and we were unable to. I thought it was a great game and a well-played game. I thought it was great Sun Belt softball.”

South Alabama trailed 2-0 after three innings on Friday, but tied the game on Gabby Stagner’s two-run homer in the top of the fourth. The Jaguars put runners on second in the fifth and sixth innings, but could not score again vs. Thundering Herd pitcher Sydney Nester.

No. 2 seed Marshall (45-9) scored twice on RBI singles by Alex Coleman and Autumn Owen in the third, the second after an infield error by the Jaguars that would have ended the inning. Those runs came against South Alabama starter Olivia Lackie, who allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts in four innings.

With Lackie having gone all seven innings in the Jaguars’ 4-1 win over James Madison on Thursday, Jenna Hardy took over in the circle to start the fifth. She got the first two outs in the sixth before walking Camryn Michallas and then allowing a single by Rielly Lucas to put runners on first and second.

Godfrey then bounced the first pitch she saw toward South Alabama shortstop Marley Sims, who dove and knocked the ball down but could not field it cleanly. Michallas came around from second to score the eventual winning run.

Nester (27-7) then retired the Jaguars 1-2-3 in the seventh, with Meredith Keel lining out to left field to end the game. She allowed seven hits and two walks in seven innings, with three strikeouts.

Hardy (17-8) took the loss for South Alabama, allowing a run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two innings. Aside from Stagner’s homer, the Jaguars’ only other extra-base hit was Odalys Cordova’s two-out double in the sixth.

Marshall advances to face the winner of the other semifinal between top-seeded Louisiana and No. 5 Texas State in the tournament championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday, with an NCAA Regional berth on the line. South Alabama is considered a longshot to make the NCAA tournament field, despite an RPI ranking of 42 heading into Friday.

“I told (players) to keep their heads up,” Clark said. “I hope that we’re still in the conversation nationally. Out of 15 games, you lose one, so I hope we’re still in that conversation. I think these kids deserve it. I think they’ve earned it. (The NCAA) tournament is for the best teams and I think we are one of the best teams. We have the players to compete at a high level.

“I’m really proud of how they represent our university; they do it in a first-class manner every single time whether that’s on the field or off the field. That’s a big deal and sometimes people don’t think that’s a part of it, but these are phenomenal young ladies who do things the right way. I’m super proud of them for who they are as people and as players.”