LAFAYETTE, La. ? D.D. Hanks and Lance Baxter shut down Louisiana-Lafayette for the final three innings as the University of South Alabama held on to win 8-6 in the resumption of a suspended game Sunday at Tigue Moore Field.
The Jags (17-20, 7-10 SBC) were leading 8-4 with Matt Jackson on the mound heading to the bottom of the seventh inning when play was suspended due to lightning in the area Saturday afternoon.
USA got on the board first with a five-run first inning. Clint Reynolds led off with a walk, Zach Grichor was hit by a pitch, and David Doss followed with a fielder’s choice groundout to plate the Jags’ first run without the benefit of a hit.
Ryan Bohanan followed with a RBI single, and three batters later Derek O'Reilly delivered a two-run single, and Chris Davis brought in a run with a bunt single to put the Jags ahead 5-0 before Jackson took the mound.
The Jags added a pair of runs in the fourth on solo home runs by Davis and Grichor; it was the first home run of the season for each.
ULL (18-18-1, 8-11 SBC) plated a pair of runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to cut USA’s lead to 7-4, but Doss doubled and Overstreet hit an RBI single to put the Jags ahead 8-4 heading to the bottom of the seventh, when the game was suspended.
Hanks retired the first five batters he faced in order before William Long reached on an error. Kyle Bostick singled and Greg Fontenot delivered a RBI double to cut USA’s lead to 8-5 going to the ninth.
Lance Baxter came out of the bullpen with a chance to convert his third save of the week. An error and a single brought the tying run to the plate. Chad Keefer brought in a run with a fielder’s choice groundout, but Baxter shut the door when he got Scott Hawkins to ground into a game-ending double play.
Baxter, who notched the first save of his career in Tuesday’s win over Auburn, got his third save of the week. Jackson picked up the win after allowing four runs in 6.0 innings, and Luke Wagley took the loss for ULL.
The teams resume play with the series finale at 1:05 p.m. Sunday. USA sends Brandon Sage to the mound, and the Cajuns counter with Justin Robichaux. The Jags will look for their first sweep of ULL since 1999; they haven’t swept a series in Lafayette since 1995.
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).
