MOBILE, Ala. -- Clint Toomey's single up the middle scored pinch runner Russell Harben from second base, lifting South Alabama to a 10-9, 10-inning win over Alabama Wednesday night at Stanky Field. The victory evened the Jaguars' record against Southeastern Conference schools this season at 4-4.
Jake Overstreet started the inning by beating out a dribbler just up the third base line. Ray Kruml followed with a bunt single to first for a a bang-bang play that resulted in the ejection of Crimson Tide acting head coach Mitch Gaspard. Harben was sent into pinch run and scored when Toomey faked a bunt and chopped the first pitch up the middle.
Alabama (23-19) had tied in the game in the ninth of USA closer Greg Johnson when Alex Avila hit a one-out home run to right center to tie the game at 9.
The Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo home run by Ross Wilson, but the Jaguars struck right back on a two-run shot by Bunky Kateon in the bottom of the second. UA tied the game in the third when Avila, who finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, delivered a run-scoring single to left.
USA seemed poised to run away with things in its half of the third when it plated five runs on four hits for a 7-2 lead. Kruml led off with a double before Toomey walked. David Doss and Ryne Jernigan followed with back-to-back doubles inside the third base line for three runs, then Ryan Bohanan homered to left to cap the frame.
But Alabama retied the game with five runs of its own in the fourth. Two were out and a runner was at first when the next six batters reached base safely -- three on hits, two hit by a pitch and one on a bases-loaded walk. The threat ended when Travis Johnson, the fourth Jaguar pitcher of the night, struck out Jake Smith with the bases loaded to keep the game tied at seven.
Wilson led off the sixth with his second home run of the game to put the Crimson Tide up 8-7, but South struck back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. It loaded the bases on a Kruml walk, a bunt single by Toomey and when Doss was hit by a pitch. Jernigan followed with a sharply-hit ball that was misplayed by shortstop Josh Rutledge, allowing Kruml and Toomey to score.
Ironically, Johnson (2-1) picked up the win despite blowing a chance at his ninth save of the season. He induced an inning-ending, double-play ball after the home run in the ninth, then got a strikeout and two come-backers in the 10th. Josh Copeland, who had not given up a run in 10 outings and 18.1 innings dating back to March 7, took the loss to fall to 2-2.
"It was a wild game and every time we play Alabama it seems like this," Head Coach Steve Kittrell said. "We had adversity against us a couple of times, but we battled back. In the last at-bat, Clint was going to sacrifice or slash if the first baseman crashed. It was just great execution on his part."
The Jaguars return to Sun Belt Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Middle Tennessee. All three games will be broadcast on WNSP Radio (105.5 FM) in Mobile.
