MOBILE, Ala. ? Adam Heisler drove in four runs, Miles Ethridge worked 3.2 innings of hitless relief, and Brandon Sage put an end to a late rally to help the University of South Alabama to a 13-11 win over Southeastern Louisiana Wednesday night at Stanky Field.
Freshman lefty Phillip Byrd got his first start for the Jags and allowed one run in 2.0 innings of work. The lone run he allowed came after Cass Hargis led off with a double and scored on Brandon Street’s groundout to give the Lions (15-8) a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
USA (10-13) answered with a run of its own when, for the second straight night, Heisler put the Jags’ first run on the board. Clint Reynolds led off with an infield single, and after advancing to third on a failed pickoff attempt, he came home on Heisler’s sacrifice fly.
Heisler would collect RBI singles in each of his next three trips to the plate, and he finished the night 3-for-4.
Zach Grichor gave the Jags a 4-1 lead when he blooped a three-run double down the right field line in the second inning. With the double, Grichor extended his hitting streak to 15 games ? the most by a Jag this season. He went 2-for-5 with three runs, two doubles and four RBI.
Jarrett Bailey struggled through 0.1 inning of relief before handing the ball to Ethridge with the bases loaded and one out in the third. Like Greg Johnson, who came into a nearly identical situation Tuesday, Ethridge allowed all three runs to score, but he shut the door after that to keep the score tied at 5-5.
Also like Johnson, Ethridge was lights out for the next three innings. The only offense the Lions could manage in the fourth through sixth innings was when Ty Summerlin reached on a wild pitch after striking out swinging to start the fourth. Ethridge then set the next nine batters down in order with five groundouts, two strikeouts and a pair of flyouts.
Meanwhile, the Jags padded their lead with insurance runs that proved to be crucial. Jake Overstreet and Grichor doubled in runs as part of a four-run fifth, and the Jags plated two more in the sixth when Matt Drake drove in a run with a pinch-hit single and Reynolds was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give USA a 13-5 lead.
Sophomore catcher Brad Hammac came on in relief of Ethridge to pitch for the first time in his collegiate career. He worked a scoreless seventh, but ran into trouble with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth. Brandon Brown was called upon next, and he also struggled as the Lions put up a six-spot in the eighth to cut USA’s lead to 13-11.
Brown went back out for the ninth and got one out before issuing a walk to Summerlin that brought the potential tying run to the plate in Street. Brandon Sage came out of the pen and needed only three pitches to induce a game-ending, double-play grounder and record the first save of his career. Ethridge notched his first win of the season, and SLU starter Chris Cappo took the loss after allowing 10 runs in 4.1 innings.
The Jags return to the field Friday night in Jonesboro, Ark. when they take on Arkansas State at 6 p.m. in Sun Belt Conference action. USA’s next home game in Tuesday when it hosts in-state rival Auburn at 6 p.m.
Notes: Zach Grichor ?s second-inning double extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games. His streak is the longest of the season by a Jag. No other Jag has an active streak longer than two games ... Grichor also recorded a career-high four RBI ... Adam Heisler, who set a new career high with four RBI Tuesday, also drove in four runs Wednesday ... Sophomore catcher Brad Hammac made the first appearance of his career on the mound ... At least one team has scored in double digits in each of USA’s last five games, and both teams have done so in the past two games.
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).
