BOCA RATON, Fla. ? Anthony Mesa’s eighth-inning squeeze bunt plated Nick DelGuidice with the go-ahead run, and Florida Atlantic held on to defeat the University of South Alabama 6-5 Friday night at FAU Stadium.

South Alabama (11-16, 2-8 SBC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but the Owls (16-10, 5-7 SBC) plated six unanswered runs to take the first game of the three-game set.

USA got on the board in the first when Clint Reynolds led off with his third triple of the season. One batter later, Reynolds came home on Adam Heisler’s double to give starting pitcher Miles Ethridge a 1-0 lead before he took the mound.

Ethridge went to work, allowing just two hits and holding the Owls scoreless through the first three frames.

The Jags added to their lead in the top of the third when Sean Laird clubbed a towering three-run homer to left field. His fifth home run of the season extended USA’s lead to 4-0.

Derek O'Reilly got the Jags on the board again when he led off the fourth with a single, advanced to second on a groundout and stole third before Zach Grichor brought him home with a RBI single to put the Jags ahead 5-0.

Ethridge finally ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth. Travis Ozga singled with one out, and DelGuidice dribbled a two-out RBI double just past third baseman Jake Overstreet to score FAU’s first run. Colby Gratton followed with what looked like a routing flyout, but it landed in front of center fielder Adam Heisler for a second consecutive RBI double to cut USA’s lead to 5-2.

The Jags escaped the inning without further damage, but Ethridge ran into more trouble in the sixth. Ozga led off with a solo homer, and after Tom Hatcher and DelGuidice drew back-to-back walks, Ethridge handed the ball to Brandon Brown.

Ethridge left the game in line for the win after allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits in 5.0 innings.

Brown got Gratton to ground into a double play, but Mike Albaladejo drew a walk to put runners on the corners with two down. With Mesa batting, Albaladejo broke for second base, and as Brown stepped off the mound, he saw Hatcher breaking home, but his throw to David Doss bounced, allowing FAU to trim USA’s lead to 5-4.

FAU starting pitcher Mike Gipson settled down and worked scoreless fifth and sixth innings before handing the ball to his bullpen. He finished with five runs allowed on nine hits in 6.0 innings. Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision.

USA again escaped with the lead, but Troy Bubley walked and came home to score on Ozga’s two-out double in the seventh, and the game was tied 5-5.

DelGuidice led off the eighth with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Albaladejo hit a ground ball to Derek O'Reilly at shortstop, and O’Reilly’s attempt to get the lead runner going to third was unsuccessful, putting runners on the corners with one out. That’s when Mesa’s squeeze bunt scored DelGuidice with the winning run.

Greg Johnson came on in relief of Brown with two on and one out. He induced a double-play grounder to escape the jam with the Jags down 6-5, but the Jags weren’t able to capitalize on Clint Reynolds’ one-out single in the ninth.

Brown was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs, one of which was earned, on two hits and two walks in 2.1 innings. Chris Schmitt earned the win by allowing one hit in 2.0 innings of scoreless relief.

The Jags return to action Saturday at 3 p.m. central time for the second game of the weekend series with Florida Atlantic. Lance Baxter is scheduled to start on the mound for the Jags, and the Owls are slated to counter with left-hander Barry Rooks.

Notes:  Adam Heisler’s RBI double in the first inning extended his hitting streak to a career-high six games ... Heisler, Clint Reynolds and Zach Grichor had two hits apiece. They combined to go 6-for-14 as USA’s first three batters in the lineup ... Heisler, Jake Overstreet and Derek O'Reilly each stole a base.

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).