NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Two-out, eighth inning errors by Ryne Jernigan and Jake Overstreet preceded a three-run home run by New Orleans' Mark McGonigle, lifting the Privateers to an 8-5 victory over South Alabama in the opener of a three-game series Friday night in New Orleans. The series continues tomorrow at 4 p.m.South Alabama had held a 5-1 led in the middle of the sixth, but gave up three runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the eighth to drop their third straight Sun Belt Conference game.
Ryan McCrory was one of five Jaguars to record a pair of hits, with both of his clearing the fence. He led off the second with a shot to right, then repeated the effort to lead off the fourth. Ray Kruml, Clint Toomey, Ryne Jernigan and Overstreet also had two hits each as part of the 13 total by the Jaguars. In contrast, the Privateers (11-7, 2-4) had just 10 hits during the contest.
USA broke into the scoring column in the first when Jernigan singled home David Doss from second in the top of the first. UNO answered McCrory's first home run with a single run in the third to make the score 2-1, the Jaguars added two more in the fourth. McCrory started things off again, then Overstreet doubled with one out. Kruml followed with a single up the middle.
The Jaguars' final run came in the sixth after Bunky Kateon singled and was sacrificed to second. One out later, he came home on a single by Toomey.
New Orleans finally got to USA starter Eric Gonzalez in the sixth. A pair of home runs accounted for three runs, making the score 5-4, then a solo shot in the seventh evened the game at 5-5.
The Privateer eighth started with a groundout, but back-to-back errors by Jernigan and Overstreet put runners on second and third. Mark McGonigle hit an 0-2 pitch on a line to center field, but the ball got by a diving Kruml, allowing for a three-run, inside-the-park home run.
Gonzalez (3-2) finished the game scattering 11 hits and walking just one, while striking out nine. He allowed all eight runs, but only five were earned. Justin Garcia threw eight innings for UNO, striking out out 10 batters, before giving way to Ryan O'Shea, who picked up his fourth save. The duo did not allow a baserunner pas the sixth innings.
The series continues Saturday at 4 p.m.
