CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex. ? South Alabama got home runs from Ray Kruml and Ryne Jernigan and a complete game from Eric Gonzalez, en route to a weekend salvaging 4-2 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the final game of the Whataburger Baseball Classic Sunday.

With the win, USA improves to 8-5, while TAMUCC drops to 3-9. The Jags finished tied for second in the tournament with a 1-2 record. Gonzalez got the win, improving his record to 3-0. Roy Ferdin took the loss, dropping his record to 1-3.

The Islanders drew first blood in the top of the first inning as Gonzalez served up a line drive to solo home run to Bryan Gerondale to open the scoring. For the Jags, it was the third consecutive game where it gave up the first run of the contest.

South Alabama jumped ahead in the bottom of the first inning, as Kruml led off with a bunt single and stole second. After Clint Toomey flew out and David Doss grounded out, Jernigan ripped a two-run rocket over the left field fence to make the score 2-1 USA. For Jernigan it was his fourth homer of the season and second of the tournament.

The Jags padded their lead with a single run in the bottom of the third. Once again Kruml got things started with a bunt single. He moved to second on a Toomey ground out and stole third. Doss then grounded to second, driving in Kruml for a 3-1 lead.

TAMUCC drew one run closer with a single run in the fifth inning. Back-to-back-to back, one-out singles allowed Martin Parra to score and cut the Jag lead to 3-2, before Gonzalez got Chase Wheaton to fly to right field to end the inning and strand two runners.

South Alabama plated an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Kruml provided some more fireworks. After singling via the bunt in his first two at-bats, he hammered his second home run of the season in the eighth. The clutch, solo shot gave USA a 4-2 lead.

Gonzalez went the distance for the Jags, throwing its first complete game of the season.

USA is back in action Tuesday night in Thibodaux, La. against Nicholls State. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. The Wednesday afternoon game against Alabama A&M has been canceled at the behest of Alabama A&M.