MOBILE, Ala. - University of South Alabama baseball scored nine unanswered runs in its final three at-bats to knock off Louisiana-Monroe 13-8 Saturday afternoon at Stanky Field.
The Jaguars scored six runs in the sixth inning, two in the seventh and added a run in the bottom of the eighth en route to their 13th Sun Belt Conference win.
USA right-hander Carlton Paris (2-0) earned the win in 3.1 shutout innings, and struck out a career-high five batters while allowing just one hit.
Jaguar third baseman Jake Overstreet went 2-for-5 with two RBI, one run scored and a stolen base to lead USA at the plate. Sean Laird added two hits and three runs scored, and Brandon Brown added a three-run home run. Adam Heisler and Zach Grichor drove in two runs apiece.
ULM right-hander James Jones (3-4) suffered the loss in 5.1 innings, allowing nine runs on seven hits while striking out one and walking two.
Left fielder Kelvin York went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored to lead ULM at the plate. Caleb Clowers, Nick Wade and Perry Smith added two hits each.
The Warhawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a three-run home run to left field by Kelvin York, which plated Judd Edwards and Boomer Blanchard.
ULM scored a run in the top of the second inning and pushed its lead to 4-0 when Clowers singled to right field to score Smith, who reached on a single earlier in the inning.
Louisiana-Monroe extended its lead to 5-0 in the top of the third inning when Wade scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Jarrett Hammond.
The Warhawks scored a run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Blanchard that scored Smith, who reached on a walk to lead off the inning, to give ULM a 6-0 lead.
USA cut the Warhawk lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Brown delivered a three-run home run over the left field wall, his second of the season, after Overstreet scored on Taylor White's sacrifice fly to right-center field.
ULM increased its lead to 8-4 in the top of the sixth inning with two runs on three hits. Smith scored on Blanchard's sacrifice fly to left-center field, and Wade followed with an RBI double to left field to score Shane Arodin, who singled earlier in the inning.
The Jags scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on just one hit to take a 10-8 lead. Brent Tanner walked to lead off the inning, Laird reached base after being hit by a pitch, and White loaded the bases when he reached on an error by ULM first baseman Judd Edwards. Tanner scored the first run of the inning on a balk, and Reynolds drew a bases-loaded walk to score Laird and cut the ULM lead to 8-6. Heisler followed with a bases-loaded walk to score White and cut the deficit to one run. Grichor reached on an error by ULM shortstop Blanchard that scored Brown, who reached on a hit by pitch earlier in the inning. Overstreet followed with a two-run single into left field to score Heisler and Reynolds.
South Alabama added two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend its lead to 12-8. Heisler singled to right field to score pinch-runner Dominic Diaz, and Grichor followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Reynolds.
The Jags added the game's final run in the bottom of the eighth inning on Brad Hook's sacrfice fly to left field which scored Laird, who walked earlier in the inning.
USA (26-14, 13-4 SBC) will conclude its series with ULM Sunday afternoon at 1 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: Heisler extended his on-base streak to 20 games ... Laird extended his on-base streak to 15 games ... Paris struck out a career-high five batters in his longest career outing ... USA improved to 16-8 all-time against ULM, and 13-4 all-time against the Warhawks at Stanky Field.
