SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Southern Conference announced Thursday that WABM-TV in Birmingham, Ala., has agreed to broadcast the league’s eight-game football television package this fall. 
    An affiliate of MyNetworkTV, WABM covers approximately 750,000 households in Birmingham, Anniston, Gadsden and Tuscaloosa.
    “We’re very pleased that WABM-TV will be carrying our package of SoCon games this season,” said SoCon commissioner John Iamarino.  “This agreement ensures that football fans throughout central Alabama will be able to watch Southern Conference football every Saturday afternoon beginning October 1.”
    WABM-TV joins public television systems in Georgia (Georgia Public Broadcasting), North Carolina (UNC-TV) and South Carolina (SCE TV) which previously agreed to televise the league’s football package.  The distribution platform will reach over 12 million homes through 33 affiliates, making it the largest regional distribution option across both broadcast and cable.
    The league’s 2011 broadcast package begins October 1 when last year’s co-champions, Appalachian State and Wofford square off in Spartanburg, S.C.  Each of the eight televised games will also be streamed live through the conference web site, on ESPN3.com, and on the individual public television web sites.

Jackets drop one to Vidalia
    BROOKLET — For the third time this season, the Southeast Bulloch Lady Yellow Jackets (7-2, 1-0 Region 3A-AA) faced Vidalia, and the Lady Indians got the upper hand.
    Southeast fell 8-6 at home Tuesday night.
    Nira Byrd (3-for-5, R) continued leading SEB at the plate, while  Sierra Peebles, Cierra Clark and Casey Hadden each went 2-for-4. Clark added an RBI and Effie Manahan drove in two runs.
    The Jackets return to region play today on the road at Jefferson County at 3 p.m.

Lady Eagles return to action
    Georgia Southern women’s soccer returns to Eagle Field on today for the 2011 home opener against the Mercer Bears. Kickoff for the match is slated for 4 p.m. The match is also the first regular season home match for first-year coach Lindsey Vanderspiegel.
    The Eagles opened the 2011 campaign on Friday, August 19, 2011 at Winthrop with a 3-1 defeat.

Lady Gators blank EBA
    WAYNESBORO — Bulloch Academy pitchers Madelyn Vickery and Lauren Dennard combined to blank Edmund Burke Academy 4-0 in GISA softball action Tuesday.
    Vickery got the win, hurling four innings of shutout ball while Dennard pitched the final three innings. The duo has not allowed an earned run in 18 innings of work.
    Ashlee Lanier went 2-for-3 to lead the BA offense.
    The Lady Gators (6-2) travel to David Emanuel Academy Friday. Game time is 4 p.m.

BA JV falls to EBA, 6-5
    WAYNESBORO — Bulloch Academy’s junior varsity dropped a 6-5 heartbreaker to Edmund Burke in GISA middle-school softball action Tuesday.
    The Lady Gators (1-1-1) had the tying run on second with one out in the top of the sixth but couldn’t push it across. BA went three-up, three down in the seventh.
    Hannah Dasher was the losing pitcher, tossing four innings, striking out six and giving up six hits. Abigail Smith was 1-for-2 with an RBI and Logan Hendrix was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Both Dasher and Ansley Daughtry each had a hit also.
    Bulloch travels to Louisville Monday to battle Thomas Jefferson Academy.

    If you have a score to report, please call the Statesboro Herald sports desk at (912) 489-9408.