MOBILE, Ala. ? David Doss belted his fourth hit of the night with a two-run, walk-off home run to lead the University of South Alabama to a 20-10 eight-inning victory over Memphis at Stanky Field Wednesday night.
“Today, our guys swung the bats as well as I’ve seen them hit since the fall ? to see them bounce back and keep answering back after Memphis tied it up was good to see,” head coach Steve Kittrell said. “Every time they scored it seemed like we came back and scored, and we held on in the business end of the game.”
Though the game turned into a slugfest, both team’s starting pitchers were effective through the first three frames. Chris LaGrow, making his first start of the season for USA (7-7), did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings of shutout baseball. Memphis (6-7) starter Ben Paullus allowed only one run through the first three innings when Doss came home on the back end of a double steal with Brad Hook.
The Tigers rebounded to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth on a two-run single from Chad Zurcher, but USA responded quickly. Sean Laird led off the bottom of the inning with a towering solo home run that sailed over the scoreboard in left field to tie the game at 2-2.
Memphis put three more runs on the board in the fifth with the benefit of a USA error. Brett Bowen doubled in a run, Cole Shelton drove in a run with a groundout and Jacob Wilson collected an RBI single to put the Tigers up 5-2.
The Jags looked like they might have taken the lead for good when they put up a seven-spot while batting around in the bottom of the fifth. Clint Reynolds got the rally started with an infield single that extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games. Reynolds also singled in a pair of runs and stole a base later in the inning. He finished the night 4-for-5 with three runs, four RBI and three stolen bases.
Memphis responded again, this time tying the game at 9-9 with four runs in the sixth, when Shelton, Wilson, Shawn Ablett and Zurcher drove in runs in consecutive at-bats.
USA finally took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth, when Adam Heisler led off with a double and came home on David Doss’ RBI single. Heisler finished the night 4-for-6 with four runs and three RBI. He and Reynolds hit safely in each of their last four at-bats of the game.
The Jags plated five insurance runs in the seventh, then ended the game an inning early when they put another five runs on the board in the eighth.
Seven USA pitchers combined to work 8.0 innings, with LaGrow working the longest at 2.2 frames. Jarrett Bailey went 1.2, Michael Raia worked 0.2, and Phillip Byrd faced two batters but didn’t record an out before the final three pitchers shut the door on the Memphis offense.
Lance Baxter picked up the win when he pitched the sixth inning and allowed a pair of runs. Brandon Sage worked a perfect seventh, and Jake LeBlanc capped the night by allowing one run in 1.0 inning of work.
Doss finished the game 4-for-5 with three runs and five RBI. His fifth-inning double was the 54th of his career, tying him with Tyrone Dixon for the most in South Alabama history.
USA hits the road again, this time traveling to Bowling Green, Ky. to face Western Kentucky in its first conference series of the season. The Hilltoppers are 3-0 in conference play after sweeping Louisiana-Monroe last weekend.
Notes: Clint Reynolds recorded another infield hit to extend his career-long hitting streak to 12 games ... He has extended his streak with an infield hit in each of his last four games ... Reynolds became the first Jag to steal three bases in a game since Tyler Jones had three steals against Middle Tennessee on April 23, 2006 ... All nine Jag starters recorded at least one hit, and every spot in the order scored at least one run ... The Jags set season highs with 20 runs and 22 hits ... No Jag hitter had recorded a walk-off, run-rule home run since at least 2003 ... Ryne Jernigan was the last USA player to record a walk-off, run-rule hit when he did so on April 24, 2007 against Jackson State ... USA’s lineup recorded six consecutive hits in the seventh inning, the first time it has done so since April 23, 2006 against Middle Tennessee ... Doss’ home run was the 29th of his career, moving him past Mike Mordecai and into sole possession of ninth place on USA’s all-time list ... Next up for Doss is Tim Merritt at 31 ... With five RBI, Doss passed Merritt for sixth place on the Jags’ all-time list with 155 ... Doss also passed Dewayne Jones for seventh on the all-time runs scored list with 153.
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).
