Official Box Score
LAFAYETTE, La. -- South Alabama scored five times in the first inning and never looked back in a 14-2 victory over No. 2 seed New Orleans in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Tigue Moore Field. The game was called after seven innings because of the tournament mercy rule.
David Doss tied school and tournament records for doubles in a game with three in his three at-bats. Everyone in the lineup had at least one hit as the seventh-seeded Jaguars (32-24) totaled 15 hits, including seven for extra bases. Ray Kruml drove in three with his two hits, one of which was a three-run shot over the fence in left center during a four-run sixth. Bunky Kateon and Chris Davis registered two runs scored and three RBIs on the heels of two hits.
Eric Gonzalez, who missed his last start with a virus that required intravenious fluids, pitched five masterful innings. He struck out three, while allowing six hits and three walks, to improve to 7-6. Michael Raia pitched the final two innings, giving up two hits and an unearned run, while fanning three.
The Jaguars started the game with a pair of four-pitch walks to Kruml and Clint Toomey followed by the first double by Doss. After a balk scored the second run and the first out was recorded, Ryan Bohanan was walked intentionally to set up a double play. The strategy worked for a second out, but Davis launched a double to the gap in right center to put the Jags up 4-0. A second balk completed the outburst, the 21st time this year that South Alabama scored five or more runs in a inning.
After a scoreless second, South Alabama got back on the scoreboard in the third when Kateon homered over the left field wall. Kruml started the fourth with a triple, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Toomey. Doss walked and Jernigan singled, with both advancing a base when the ball was bobbled in the outfield. A second intentional walk to Bohanan loaded the bases before the second out was recorded. Privateer pitch control then became an issue again as Davis was hit by a pitch and Kateon walked to make the score 9-0.
UNO got a run back in the fifth when a two-out wild pitch scored T.J. Baxter from third, but the Jaguars went right back to work in the sixth. With one out, Davis singled and stole second, setting up Kateon for an RBI single. Jake Overstreet singled before Kruml blasted the first pitch from reliever Tyler Sanders over the fence in right center for a three-run homer and a 13-1 lead.
Each team added a run in its next at-bat -- the Jaguars coming on a wild pitch -- before the game was called after seven innings.
"Our guys really came out and played an outstanding game," Head Coach Steve Kittrell said. "Eric Gonzalez, after being out sick, pitched really well when we needed him to get five innings. He set the tempo and the five-run first was huge. We had some big hits and played well against a pretty good New Orleans team."
Stephen Whalen (5-5) took the loss for UNO after giving up the five first-innings runs.
South Alabama advances to Thursday's 4 p.m. winners' bracket game No. 6 seed Louisiana-Lafayette, who defeated Troy 6-1 in the late game Wednesday night.
