MOBILE, Ala. ? Nicholls put up six runs in the first inning, and though the University of South Alabama finally overcame the deficit in the eighth, the Colonels rallied for four in the ninth to win 13-11 Tuesday night at Stanky Field.
Ryan Bohanan, who moved to the mound in the seventh to throw in his first game since pitching for Nebraska in the 2005 College World Series, took the loss after allowing three runs in the ninth.
Bohanan was effective early, getting a ground-ball, double play to escape a jam in the seventh before working a hitless eighth, but Keith Kulbeth knocked a two-run single for the Colonels third straight hit leading off the ninth, and Bohanan left with the game tied 11-11.
Lance Baxter came out of the bullpen and allowed a go-ahead RBI single to Scott Moseley. He got Drew Snider to fly out for the second out of the inning before handing the ball to Greg Johnson.
Johnson looked like he was out of the inning, but a dropped popup led to another run, and the Colonels took a 13-11 lead to the bottom of the ninth.
Derek O'Reilly doubled with one out, but he was stranded at third to end the game as Ross Larson notched his fourth save of the season.
USA (12-18) needed three pitchers to get through a wild first inning. Starter Chris LaGrow handed the ball to Phillip Byrd after falling behind 1-0 on the third batter he faced; he walked the first two.
Byrd was only slightly more effective, allowing four runs in 0.2 innings before Jarrett Bailey came out of the bullpen. Bailey got out of the inning with the Jags trailing 6-0 before Nicholls (13-17) starter Brad Delatte threw his first pitch.
Sean Laird hit a solo homer with two out in the bottom of the first, but Nicholls answered with another run in the second. O’Reilly laid down a bunt single to drive in a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Jags couldn’t manage any more offense and trailed 7-2 after two.
Bailey worked scoreless third and fourth innings, and Michael Raia worked two more scoreless frames, while the Jags plated a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
Zach Grichor doubled in a pair in the fifth, and the Jags scored two runs without the benefit of a hit in the sixth to cut the deficit to 7-6.
The Colonels plated two insurance runs in the seventh when Raia hit consecutive batters and allowed a RBI single to Kulbeth before turning the game over to Bohanan.
David Doss led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and came around to score on Clint Reynolds’ fielder’s choice.
The Jags took their first lead of the game with a four-run eighth. Adam Heisler led off with a walk, Zach Grichor singled, and after a double steal put both runners in scoring position, Doss brought them both home with a single that tied the game at 9-9.
Bohanan and Jake Overstreet followed with consecutive RBI singles to give USA a 13-11 lead heading to the ninth. Bohanan’s hit could have been the game-winning hit, and he would’ve also earned the victory if the Colonels hadn’t rallied in the ninth.
USA returns to action this weekend when it hosts Arkansas-Little Rock in Sun Belt Conference play at Stanky Field. The series starts Friday at 6 p.m.
Notes: Derek O'Reilly’s bunt single in the second inning extended his hitting streak to a career-high-tying seven games. He had reached base safely in 10 of his last 12 plate appearances ... Adam Heisler extended his career-best hitting streak to nine games with a fifth-inning single. Heisler also stole a base in the fifth, extending his streak of games with a steal to four straight. He now holds the team lead with 10 steals ... The Jags used 21 players, including every position player available ... USA’s offense has had 10 or more hits in four straight and eight of the last nine games played.
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).
