MOBILE, Ala. ? Sean Laird brought in Jake Overstreet with a two-out, walk-off single, and the University of South Alabama defeated No. 6 Ole Miss 3-2 in 10 innings to give head coach Steve Kittrell his 1,000th career victory Sunday at Stanky Field.
“That win wasn’t about Steve Kittrell getting 1,000 wins ? it was about this ballclub. We needed a big win after losing a tough game last night,” Kittrell said. “I was so proud of this club, and I’m hoping this win will be one we look back on and say it got us going. This was a big win for us today.”
Overstreet got the 10th-inning rally started by drawing a two-out walk against All-American relief pitcher Scott Bittle. He moved to third on a Ryan Bohanan single, and after David Doss was intentionally walked to load the bases, Laird knocked a 2-2 pitch through the middle of the infield to bring in the game-winning run.
“After he walked Doss to load the bases, I knew he was going to have to give me a pitch to hit,” Laird said. “I knew he was going to give me a pitch because he didn’t want to go to a full count. He gave me that splitter-type cutter he has, and he left it over the plate, so I got a good pitch to hit.”
Laird had gone 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts prior to hitting the walk-off single. Bohanan finished the day 3-for-5 with a run, and Overstreet went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
Ole Miss (1-2) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Taylor Hashman knocked the Rebels’ third single of the inning to bring in leadoff hitter Jordan Henry, but the Jags answered with a run of their own in the second. Bohanan doubled and came around to score on a Doss single to tie the game 1-1.
USA (2-2) took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning when Zach Grichor singled and stole second base, then moved to third on a throwing error by Ole Miss catcher Brett Basham. Clint Reynolds, making his first start in more two years, brought Grichor home with a single up the middle.
South Alabama starter Lance Baxter scattered nine hits and three walks in 6.2 innings of work. He allowed only one run and left the game with a chance to be the winning pitcher.
Michael Logan came on in relief with two outs in the seventh. Jeremy Travis reached on an error by Overstreet, then advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home to score on Matt Smith’s RBI single to even the score at 2-2.
After taking the loss in a 4-3, extra-inning defeat Saturday night, Greg Johnson (1-1) worked the ninth and 10th innings to pick up the win for the Jags. Bittle (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run in 2.1 innings. Each of the last five outs Bittle recorded were on swinging strikeouts.
Notes: Kittrell became the 50th NCAA coach to reach the 1,000-win milestone ... Liberty took home the 24th-annual Coca-Cola Classic championship by knocking off Mercer 3-2 in Sunday’s first game ... USA and Liberty both finished the tournament 2-1, but the Flames took the championship by virtue of their win over USA Saturday ... Matt Jackson was named tournament MVP after picking up the win in USA’s 9-2 victory over Mercer Friday ... Jackson allowed only two hits and recorded 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings ... Laird’s walk-off single was the first by a USA player since Clint Toomey’s walk-off single in the 10th inning against Alabama on April 23 of last season ... Reynolds, starting in place of injured Jag center fielder Adam Heisler, made his first start since Feb. 18, 2007.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
