JONEBSORO, Ark. - University of South Alabama right-hander Garrett Harris struck out a career-high eight batters and held Arkansas State scoreless in five innings to lead the Jaguars to a 9-4 win over the Red Wolves in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at Tomlinson Stadium & Kell Field.
USA dropped game one Saturday afternoon 9-8 in the bottom of the 10th inning on a bases-loaded walk by Murray Watts.
South Alabama (26-16, 13-6 SBC) will close its series with Arkansas State (23-15, 12-4 SBC) Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Tomlinson Stadium & Kell Field.
Game 1 - Arkansas St. 9, USA 8
Arkansas State first baseman Murray Watts drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the Red Wolves to a 9-8 win over South Alabama in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field.
Watts went 4-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored to lead Arkansas State at the plate. Jordan Kimball and Giovanni Garcia added two hits each.
ASU left-hander Ross Humes (5-2) earned the win in two shutout innings of relief. USA right-hander Carlton Paris (2-1) took the loss in two innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits while striking out one and issuing four walks.
Jaguar center fielder Taylor White went 3-for-5 with three runs scored to lead South Alabama at the plate. Tyler Vick went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, and Zach Grichor went 2-for-4 with an RBI and one stolen base.
The Red Wolves jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Jordan Castaldo doubled down the right field line to score Faulkner, who led off the inning with a base on balls. Cody Pace reached base on a hit by pitch, and later scored on Garcia's ground out to third.
Arkansas State increased its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by Pace to score Kyle DeGrace, who singled to lead off the inning.
The Jags tied the game 3-3 in the top of the third inning on two hits. Adam Heisler delivered a two-run triple down the left field line to score Brandon Brown and Clint Reynolds, who singled and walked, respectively, to start the inning. Heisler later scored on Grichor's ground out to second base.
ASU took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Watts singled up the middle to score Garcia, who singled to lead off the inning.
USA grabbed its first lead of the game in the top of the fourth inning. White and Vick led off the inning with consecutive singles. White later scored on a fielding error by ASU pitcher Andy Ferguson. Vick later scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Heisler to give the Jags a 5-4 lead.
The Red Wolves tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Watts doubled to right-center field to score Garcia, who singled earlier in the inning.
The Jags took a 6-5 lead in the top of the sixth inning when White scored on a two-base error by ASU left fielder Pace off the bat of Reynolds.
USA extended its lead to 8-5 in the top of the eighth inning when Vick homered just inside the left field foul pole that also plated White, who singled ahead of Vick.
The Red Wolves tied the game 8-8 in the bottom of the eighth with three runs on three hits. Watts led off the inning with a single, and later scored on a fielder's choice by Kimball. Pinch-hitter Josh DeMoney later delivered a two-run single into center field to tie the game, before Watts' walk-off walk.
Game 2 - USA 9, Arkansas St. 4
Harris (5-3) scattered 12 hits and allowed just two earned runs while setting a career high in strikeouts in 8.1 innings to earn the win.
White went 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base to lead the Jags at the plate. Heisler went 3-for-5 with a run scored and stolen base. Brent Tanner went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base, and Brown went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI.
ASU left-hander Andres Caceres (1-2) suffered the loss in eight innings, allowed six runs on 11 hits while striking out four.
DeGrace went 3-for-4 with one RBI to lead the Red Wolves at the plate. Castaldo added three hits and a run scored, and DeMoney and Garcia collected two hits apiece.
Arkansas State scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first when Ryan Emery drew a bases-loaded walk to score DeMoney.
USA tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third inning when White scored on a fielding error by Castaldo. White singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on Brown's sacrifice bunt before stealing third.
The Red Wolves took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning with two runs on three hits. Watts delivered an RBI double to right field to score Garcia, who singled to lead off the inning. DeGrace singled later in the inning to score Castaldo.
USA cut the ASU lead to 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning when White singled to right field to score Tanner, who singled then stole second base.
Jake Overstreet gave the Jags a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth inning with a two-run home run over the left field wall that also scored Heisler, who singled earlier in the inning.
The Jags doubled their lead to 6-3 in the top of the eighth inning when Brown doubled to left-center field to score Tanner and White, who reached on a single and hit by pitch, respectively, earlier in the inning.
ASU cut the USA lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth on Logan Uxa's sacrifice fly to center field to score Emery, who reached on an error to lead off the inning.
South Alabama increased its lead to 9-4 in the top of the ninth inning with three runs on two hits. The Jags loaded the bases when Grichor reached on an error by Watts, and Laird and Tanner reached on walks. White followed with an infield single to second to score Grichor, before Brown singled to left-center field to score Tanner and Laird.
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 23 games in the doubleheader ... Laird's on-base streak ended at 16 games in game one ... USA improved to 51-18 all-time against ASU with its win in game two, and 20-9 all-time in Jonesboro.
