Official Box Score
AUBURN, Ala. -- Ryan McCrory and Bunky Kateon hit back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, snapping a 1-1 tie, to lead South Alabama to a 7-1 win over Auburn Wednesday night at Plainsman Park. The win give the Jaguars a season sweep of the Tigers, following a 4-3 win in Mobile on April 1.
The round-trippers were part of a six-run seventh. Ryan Bohanan led off with a double to left center before McCrory hit an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence. Kateon followed with a shot over the 30-foot fence in left field for a 4-1 lead. Scott Shuman came in to relieve Taylor Thompson (2-4) and induced a groundout, but then issued a walk to Jake Overstreet and was pulled in favor of Evan Crawford.
The change didn't matter to the Jaguars as Ray Kruml singled to right to put runners at the corners. After a wild pitch moved Kruml into scoring position, Clint Toomey delivered a two-run single to center for a 6-1 lead. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by David Doss.
South Alabama (21-16) got out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth on its 29th sacrifice fly of the season. Reliever Luke Grienke walked the first two batters he faced on a total of nine pitches. After a sacrifice bunt by Ryne Jernigan, Bohanan picked up the RBI with a flyout to left field.
But Auburn (22-16) responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. Leadoff hitter Brian Fletcher tripled down the right field line and when the next batter grounded out to third.
Michael Raia (1-0), the fourth of seven Jaguar pitchers, picked up the win by pitching a scoreless sixth inning. Chris LaGrow pitched a scoreless first, Miles Ethridge held the shutout for the second and third, then Michael Logan pitched a pair of innings. After Raia, Travis Johnson, Lance Baxter and Greg Johnson completed the work on the mound.
South Alabama returns to Stanky Field this weekend when it hosts preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite Louisiana-Lafayette. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m.
