THIBODAUX, La. - South Alabama got a good start from left-hander Brandon Sage and three RBIs from Ryne Jernigan, as USA knocked off Nicholls State 10-6 at Ray E. Didier Field in Thibodaux, La. Tuesday night. With the win, USA improves to 9-5 on the season while Nicholls State dropped to 1-10.

Sage got the win to bring even his record at 1-1. Justin Breaux took the loss for NSU dropping his record to 0-2.

The Jags got on the board in the top of the third inning as Clint Toomey and David Doss both walked to start the inning. Ryne Jernigan then hammered the first pitch he saw into the right center field gap, scoring Tommey and Doss within feet of each other, making the score 2-0 USA. After Ryan Bohanan was hit, Bunky Kateon doubled to the left center field gap, scoring the third Jag run. Chris Davis was hit by Breaux to load the bases before Patrick Juban came on to relieve the Nicholls starter. Derek O’Reilly and Ray Kruml both hammered the first pitch they saw, resulting in an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, before Toomey singled to make the game 6-0.

Nicholls got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, taking advantage of a couple of wild pitches. After Jones singled, Sage uncorked a wild pitch to move him to second. Sage then fanned Kulbeth, but saw the ball get away from Doss. As Doss threw to first, Jones scored to make the score 6-1. USA padded its lead in the top of the fourth as it plated two more runs. Bohanan, Kateon and Overstreet each reached via the free pass. Chris Davis then doubled to score USA’s seventh run and O’Reilly hit a sacrifice fly to score Kateon and cap the scoring.

Nicholls pushed across a single run in the bottom of the fifth inning. T.J. Menerey led off the inning and went to second when O’Reilly comminted a two-base throwing error. Lance Dupuis then moved Menery to third with a groundout. Jones then grounded to short to score the second Colonel run.

USA scored two more runs in the top of the seventh inning as O’Reilly was hit to open the frame. It was the seventh hit batter of the game for the Colonels and a season-high for the Jaguars. After Toomey flew out, Doss bounced to short and reached when Dupuis threw the ball into right field, scoring O’Reilly. Jernigan then hit a sac fly to score Kruml and make the score 10-2.

Greg Johnson came on to pitch the ninth inning and ran into trouble. The Colonels loaded the bases with nobody out and scored three runs in the ninth before the Jags got out the inning thanks to a Kruml diving catch to win the game.

USA is next in action Friday as the Jags play host to the Western Kentucky Hilltopppers in a three game series. Live stats for all three games will be available at www.USAJAGUARS.com.