Official Box Score
MOBILE, Ala. -- South Alabama pounded out a season-high 18 hits, including three home runs, and Eric Gonzalez struck out a career-high 12 batters, as the Jaguars routed Arkansas State 17-9 in the opening game of a Sun Belt Conference series Friday night at Stanky Field.
David Doss went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, including his fifth home run of the year, while Ryne Jernigan also homered as part of a 2-for-4 effort. He drove in four runs and scored four times. Three other Jaguars had multiple-hit games -- Ryan Bohanan with three and Chris Davis and Ray Kruml with two each. The 18 hits were two more than the previous best of 16 at Jackson State on Feb. 26, while the run total was one shy of the 18 scored that same day.
The first two innings was indicative of the entire evening for the Jaguars and Indians. Gonzalez retired the first six batters he faced, three by strikeout, and South Alabama plated a run in each of the first two frames. Kruml hit the second pitch of the game into the gap in right center and scored on the next pitch when Clint Toomey singled. The Jaguars could have added to the total, but they left two runners on base and had another thrown out at the plate during the inning.
Chris Davis started the second with a home run to straight-away center field, but it was the third inning that broke things open. Toomey reached on a throwing error and advanced to second on a balk. A single by Doss put runners at the corners, before Jernigan hit into a fielder's choice that scored Toomey for a 3-0 lead. A Bohanan single paved the way for an RBI double by Ryan McCrory that scored the fourth run of game. Back-to-back walks plated another run, then Kruml cleared the bases with a double to right center, putting USA up 8-0.
South Alabama (14-11, 3-4 SBC) increased the lead to 10-0 in the fourth on a Doss home run and sacrifice fly by McCrory, then to 15-0 after five innings. The big blow there was a three-run home run to center field by Jernigan. A single by Bunky Kateon and a bases-loaded walk by Kruml added the other two runs.
The Indians (14-11, 5-5 SBC) finally got to Gonzalez (4-2) in the sixth, scoring three runs on four hits, but the Jaguars answered with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth.
Gonzalez finished the seventh inning, allowing two more runs for a total of five. He gave up nine hits, while walking just one. Michael Raia pitched the final two innings, giving up four runs on two hits and five walks.
Arkansas State starter Chase Ware (3-2) entered the game fifth in the Sun Belt Conference in ERA at 2.62, but allowed eight hits and eight runs through only three innings. However, five of the runs he surrendered were unearned.
"Eric really set the tempo for the game and the guys came out swinging the bats," Head Coach Steve Kittrell said. "We jumped on their pitcher early but Arkansas State fought back late. The good things is we didn't have to really get into our bullpen tonight."
Game two of the series is slated for 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon with the series wrapping up Sunday.
