Official Box Score
MOBILE, Ala. -- Bunky Kateon hit a foul-ball sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday to lead South Alabama to a wild 12-11 victory over Sun Belt Conference-leading Louisiana-Monroe at Stanky Field. With the win, the Jaguars took the three-game weekend series two games to one.
David Doss and Sean Laird each had three hits and drove in four runs, while Kateon had a pair of RBIs with a solo home run and the game-winner.
The 10th inning started with a four-pitch walk to Ryne Jernigan, then pinch-hitter Derek O'Reilly was brought in to sacrifice, but was hit by a pitch. A sharp single to left by pinch-hitter Clint Reynolds loaded the bases before Chris Davis grounded into a fielder's choice. Kateon then fought back from an 0-2 count with two straight balls before hitting a curving liner down the left field line, scoring O'Reilly.
In a near-reversal of yesterday's contest, when South Alabama won after allowing six runs in the top of the first, the Jaguars (28-20, 13-11) scored six runs in the first, but later trailed 7-6 in the fourth. USA held an 11-9 lead heading into the ninth, but allowed ULM to force extra innings.
Leadoff hitter Ray Kruml got USA going with a triple to left field to start the game. After a walk to Clint Toomey, Doss hit a three-run shot over the left field fence for a 3-0 lead. Jernigan and Ryan Bohanan both singled and moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch before Laird doubled off the centerfield fence, chasing ULM starter Jordy Poche. Jake Overstreet later delivered an RBI single to right as the Jaguars got six hits and sent 11 men to the plate in the frame.
But the lead was short lived as the Warhawk (31-17, 19-8) scored three in the second, two in the third and two in the fourth to open a 7-6 advantage. The Jaguars answered in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 7-7 when Kruml doubled, went to third on a Toomey sacrifice and scored on a Doss single up the middle.
A run in the top of the fifth for the Warhawks put them back up by one, 8-7, but USA retook the lead in the bottom of the inning when Davis and Kateon hit back-to-back solo home runs. It marked the seventh time this season that Jaguar hitters have had consecutive round-trippers.
South added to the lead in the sixth when a triple by Doss and an RBI single by Laird made the score 10-8, but ULM cut the margin in half in the seventh with a run off reliever Miles Ethridge.
An insurance run in the eighth proved important as the Jaguars rebuilt a two-run cushion. Jernigan started the frame with a double to left field, then scored one out later when Laird delivered an infield single.
But ULM forced extra innings with three singles in the ninth of USA closer Greg Johnson. He walked the leadoff hitter, but got two of the next three batters out, leaving runners on first and second. Ryan McMillan and Matt Collins both singled in a run to make the score 11-all after regulation.
Johnson (4-1) gave up the lead for the third time in four outings, but came up the winner each time, including yesterday. Derek Ward (5-3) took the loss for the Warhawks after coming in to start the bottom of the ninth.
"You just can't relax when you play (Louisiana-) Monroe," Head Coach Steve Kittrell said. "They swing the bats so well. But our guys weren't quitting and somebody had to lose. It was a huge win for us to win two out of three against the league leaders. We need to take this momentum to Miami next weekend."
South Alabama has the week off before returning to action Friday night at Florida International. The Jaguars can clinch a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament May 21-24 by taking two of three from the Golden Panthers.
