MOBILE, Ala. – Trailing 10-9 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, University of South Alabama baseball rallied to score two runs in its final at-bat to defeat UT-Martin 11-10 Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field.

Jaguar third baseman Jake Overstreet led off the USA rally with a single to center field, and advanced to second base on Brent Tanner’s ground out to second. Nolan Earley then drilled a 0-1 pitch from UT-Martin right-hander Alec Mills down the left field line for a double that scored Overstreet from second base to tie the game 10-10.

USA catcher Brent Mitchell then worked the count from Mills to 2-0 before lacing a grounder to third that was mishandled by Skyhawk third baseman Matt Haynes and found its way into shallow left field, allowing Earley to score the game-winning run from second base.

With the win South Alabama (3-0) secured a three-game sweep of the series, marking the first time the Jaguars have swept a three-game season-opening series since 2002 when they took three games from Mississippi Valley State at Stanky Field.

Earley led the Jaguar hitting attack, which posted 11 hits in the contest, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. Tanner went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBI and one run scored, and Overstreet finished 2-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and two RBI. Brad Hook added a triple, and Mitchell, Taylor White and Logan Kirkland added a hit apiece.

South Alabama right-hander Cory McGinnis (1-0) earned the win in three shutout innings of relief, allowing four hits while striking out one.

Mills (0-1) suffered the loss for UTM in three relief innings, and allowed two runs on two hits with four strikeouts.

The Skyhawks scored at least one run in the first five innings, aided by a three-run second inning in which Matt Milligan doubled in a run and later scored on a wild pitch, and held a commanding 8-2 lead through the first five frames.

But the Jaguar bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth inning for seven runs to take a 9-8 lead. Earley led off the inning with a double to right field and later scored on a Skyhawk throwing error on a grounder to shortstop off the bat of Hook. USA loaded the bases with no outs and scored its second run of the inning when Kirkland was hit by a pitch to force Hook in from third base. With two outs and the bases still loaded, Overstreet delivered a double down the left field line to score Mitchell and Jerry Roam and cut the UTM lead to 8-6. Tanner then followed with a three-run blast over the right field wall to give the Jags their first lead of the game.

However, the lead was short-lived after the Skyhawks tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI double by Matt Haynes, who scored the second run of the frame on a balk.

From there, McGinnis scattered four hits and did not allow a Skyhawk base runner past second base for the remainder of the game.

Trey Karlan led UTM (0-3) with three hits, two RBI and two runs scored, and Haynes, Chad Okey, Drew Mason and Cody Terry added two hits apiece.

South Alabama will return to action Tue., Feb. 22, when it travels to Jackson, Miss., to take on Jackson State at 3 p.m.

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:  With the win, South Alabama secured its first sweep of a three-game season-opening series since 2002, when it swept Mississippi Valley State at Stanky Field … Overstreet made his 156th consecutive start at third base and extended his hitting streak to nine games … Overstreet has driven it at least one run in seven consecutive games, dating back to May 22 of last season … Roam recorded his first career RBI … Kirkland hit safely in all three games of the series, and has scored a run in his first three games as a Jaguar … Tanner recorded his 23rd career multi-hit and 17th multi-RBI game … Sunday’s win marked Kittrell’s 1,025th win at South Alabama.