Official Box Score
LAFAYETTE, La. -- The University of New Orleans turned the tables on South Alabama Friday night, avenging an earlier loss in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with a 14-4 seven-inning win over the Jaguars at Tigue Moore Field. USA, who defeated the Privateers 14-2 in the opening game Wednesday, was eliminated with the loss.
In a near mirror-image of Wednesday when the Jaguars scored five runs in the top of the first, UNO got out to the early 2-0 lead in its first at-bat. The Privateers’ first three batters reached safely with two singles and an RBI double. The Jaguars were saved a run when Ray Kruml earned his first outfield assist of the year on a play at third for the first out, but a another run scored on the next play when a groundout to third ended with a throwing error by Ryan Bohanan as he tried to get an advancing runner.
The Privateers went up 3-0 in the second on a solo home run by Nick Schwaner, but the Jaguars got the run back in their half of the inning. Bohanan and Chris Davis started with singles and were sacrificed a base by Bunky Kateon. Bohanan came home on a wild pitch.
But UNO gained control of the game with six runs in the third, opening a 9-1 lead. Five walks ? including three with the bases loaded ? and two hits helped the Privateers equal their March 22 effort as the biggest third-inning outburst by an opponent all season.
South Alabama tried to climb back into the game, picking up two runs in the third. Kruml, who finished with a pair of hits, recorded an infield single before Clint Toomey walked on four pitches. David Doss singled to center to drive in a run and move Toomey to third. Then, Ryne Jernigan just missed a home run on a towering fly ball to left that scored Toomey.
But UNO built the double-digit margin with four runs in the fifth. The big blast was a bases-loaded double by Johnny Giavotella. The Privateers got a run in the top of the seventh, but the Doss delivered an RBI groundout with the bases loaded in the seventh. But Jernigan struck out on a 2-2 pitch to end the game
The Jaguars’ pitching staff finished the game with 11 walks, just one shy of its season high, while striking out only four.
"Kevin didn't have his good stuff and they hit him hard early," Head Coach Steve Kittrell said. "It's disappointing after winning the first game like we did, to come out and lose a doubleheader like with did."
Bryan Cryer, named the league Pitcher of the Year by league coaches before the tournament, scattered six hits to improve to 12-1 on the season. He struck out eight, while walking one in the complete-game effort.
Kruml and Doss each had a pair of hits for the Jaguars, who tallied just seven in the contest.
Despite the loss, the Jaguars (32-26) finished with 30 or more wins for the eighth straight year. They also bested their overall and conference win totals from a year ago.
