MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - University of South Alabama left-hander Lance Baxter threw a complete-game shutout, and third baseman Jake Overstreet homered twice to lead the Jaguars to a 15-0 series-clinching win in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Reese Smith Jr. Field.
Overstreet went 4-for-5 with a three-run home run, a two-run home run and seven RBI to lead the Jags at the plate in game two of Saturday's doubleheader. The Thomasville, Ala., native homered twice in game one and drove in four runs, and went 7-for-10 with four home runs and 11 RBI in two games.
"The guys got down to the rubber game and really clutched up," USA head coach Steve Kittrell said. "[Lance] Baxter really threw a great game and threw their hitters off. They really swung it well against us in the first two games. It was a great outing by Baxter, and we swung the bats extremely well. [Jake] Overstreet had a heck of a day, and a lot of guys did their jobs today."
Game Two - Middle Tennessee 19, South Alabama 10
Middle Tennesse jumped out to a 14-2 lead through the first four innings, and evened the series at one game a piece with a 19-10 win.
The Blue Raiders tallied 17 hits in the contest, led by second baseman Justin Miller, who went 3-for-6 with two home runs and eight RBI. Five Middle Tennessee hitters recorded multiple hits in the contest, with Tyler Burnett totaling four hits including a double.
Overstreet led the Jags at the plate in game one with his two homers, and Adam Heisler and Brent Tanner collected two hits each.
Blue Raider right-hander Chad Edwards (3-1) earned the win in seven innings, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out seven and issuing no walks. USA right-hander Garrett Harris (3-2) took the loss in 1.2 innings pitched, allowing eight runs on seven hits while issuing two walks, however, only three of Harris' eight runs allowed were earned.
Middle Tennessee took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Miller doubled to left-center field to score Justin Guidry and Blake McDade.
The Blue Raiders opened up an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning with a leadoff home run by Ben Darlington, RBI singles by Zach Hudson and Blake McDade, and Miller capped the inning with a three-run home run to left field.
USA cut the Middle Tennessee lead to 8-2 in the top of the fourth when Sean Laird delivered a two-run home run to left field, scoring Tanner who doubled earlier in the inning.
Miller increased the Blue Raider lead to 11-2 in the bottom of the fourth with his second three-run home run of the game. Middle Tennessee extended its lead to 14-2 later in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Burnett, Hudson and Guidry.
Overstreet cut the Blue Raider lead to 14-5 in the top of the fifth inning with a two-out, three-run home run to left-center field that also scored Zach Grichor and Heisler who reached on consecutive singles.
Middle Tennessee scored five runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning highlighted by a three-run double to center field by Will Skinner. The Blue Raiders scored two additional runs with a bases loaded walk and a hit by pitch to take a 19-5 lead.
USA scored four runs on four hits in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Clint Reynolds, and a two-run single up the middle by Heisler. Nathaniel Lami, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored when Brad Hammac reached on a throwing error by Blue Raider third baseman Burnett.
USA added a run in the top of the ninth on Overstreet's solo home run to left field.
Game Three - South Alabama 15, Middle Tennessee 0
Baxter (3-0) cruised in seven innings of the series-clincher, which was called due to the 10-run mercy rule. The Robertsdale, Ala., native allowed just four hits while striking out three to earn his second shutout of the season and his first complete game of the year.
Overstreet paced USA at the plate with two home runs and seven RBI, while first baseman Brad Hook went 4-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and one run scored. Laird went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored, and Grichor finished 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.
Blue Raider right-hander Hunter Adkins (1-1) took the loss in 1.1 innings, allowing six runs on four hits while striking out one and walking two.
Justin Jones went 1-for-3 with a triple to lead Middle Tennessee (15-8, 5-4 SBC) at the plate.
South Alabama jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on two hits. Overstreet singled down the right field line to score Heisler, who reached on a fielding error by first baseman Ben Darlington to lead off the game. Overstreet scored later in the inning on a wild pitch, then Hook singled to left field to score Laird, who reached on a fielding error by Burnett at third base.
The Jags doubled their lead in the top of the second inning when Overstreet blasted a three-run home run that knocked Blue Raider starter Adkins out of the game after 1.1 innings.
USA extended its lead to 13-0 in the top of the third inning with seven runs on six hits. Grichor doubled to score Hook and Heisler, and scored on Overstreet's two-run shot over the left field wall. Taylor White singled to score Tanner, then Hook tripled off the right-center wall to score Laird and White.
The Jaguars increased their lead to 15-0 in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Overstreet to score Heisler and an RBI double by Laird that scored Grichor who reached on a single.
USA (17-10, 7-2 SBC) returns to action Tues., March 30, with a midweek matchup against Southern Miss at 6 p.m. at Stanky Field.
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).
- USA -
NOTES: Grichor extended his on-base streak to 28 games, dating back to May 21 of last season ... Tanner extended his on-base streak to 23 games after reaching on a hit by pitch in the third inning ... Overstreet homered in consecutive innings in game three, marking the first time a Jaguar has done so since David Doss accomplished the feat March 7, 2009, against UAB ... USA moved to 35-17 all-time against Middle Tennessee, and 12-6 all-time in Murfreesboro ... The Jaguars scored double digits in every game of this weekend's series, and tied a season-high with 15 runs in game three.
