JACKSON, Miss. – University of South Alabama baseball scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat Jackson State 6-3 Tuesday afternoon at Robert “Bob” Braddy Field.

With the score tied 3-3 after nine innings, Jaguar center fielder Taylor White led off the top of the 10th with a double to left-center field off of JSU right-hander Gabriel Babineaux, and scored when Jake Overstreet singled to center field to give South Alabama a 4-3 lead. After a single by Brent Tanner and walk by Nolan Earley to load the bases, Brad Hook extended the Jaguar lead to 6-3 with a two-run single to center field.

Right-hander Cory McGinnis came on in the bottom of the 10th and recorded his first career save at South Alabama.

Kyle Dees (2-0) earned the win in 2 1/3 innings of relief, and allowed one hit while tying a career high with five strikeouts.

South Alabama starter Dustin Crenshaw pitched 6 1/3 innings, marking his longest career outing, and allowed three runs on six hits with a career-high four strikeouts without factoring in the decision. Crenshaw retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced in the game.

“Jackson State impressed me. They pitched well and they battled,” South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell said. “Our guys finally got something going. We’ve been slow getting started, but Jackson State has a good club and they battled us the whole way. (Logan) Kirkland led off the eighth inning with a big hit, and Taylor White’s home run got us going.

“But Dustin Crenshaw was outstanding on the mound, and Kyle Dees was very good as well. We had some clutch hits when we had to have them and battled late in the game, we just have to play a little better early in the game. We made some mistakes today, and we just have to learn from them.”

The teams were locked in a scoreless tie until the bottom of the sixth inning when Babineaux singled to left field to score Gary Mele who doubled to left field to lead off the inning.

But South Alabama (4-0) tied the game in the top of the seventh on Roam’s RBI single to right field to score Jordan Patterson from second base, who reached on a hit by pitch and stole second before tying the game.

JSU answered to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning on J.R. Richey’s bunt single on a suicide squeeze that scored Charles Epperson. The Tigers plated their first run in the inning on a Jaguar throwing error.

White tied the game at 3-3 when he laced a 1-1 pitch from Russell over the right field wall for his first career home run. Kirkland led off the inning with a single up the middle before White’s game-tying home run.

Dees closed the ninth inning for the Jags by striking out the side. The right-hander struck out his final four batters faced in the game.

Babineaux and Malcolm Tate led Jackson State with two hits each in the contest.

Desmond Russell (0-1) suffered the loss for the Tigers in 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out three.

“(Dustin) Crenshaw was great. He threw a lot of strikes and got his lead outs,” South Alabama associate head coach Mark Calvi. “He’s an older guy who put us in a position to win. He threw four pitches for strikes, and he got ahead and put guys away. So far he has made very few mistakes. He’s been a very reliable guy. He got us deep in the game, and he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do his last two times out and today was no different.

“Sometimes you win a game early and sometimes you win it late, but you can’t be sloppy on the mound. The guys who needed to show up all game long did, and that’s Brent Tanner and all of the guys who pitched in today’s game. But you have to give Jackson State’s pitchers credit. They kept us off-balance all game and they worked fast; they had good stuff and they competed.”

Four Jaguars recorded multiple hits in the contest, led by White’s 2-for-5 performance. The Jackson, Ala., native doubled, homered, drove in two runs and scored two runs in the game. Overstreet and Jerry Roam each went 2-for-5 with an RBI, and Overstreet scored one run. Jeff DeBlieux recorded his first hit as a Jaguar and finished 2-for-5.

South Alabama will return to action this weekend, Feb. 25-27, when it hosts the South Alabama Classic at Stanky Field. The Jaguars will open the tournament with a 6 p.m. contest against Central Florida Friday night, and will take on Alabama Saturday at 1 p.m. The three-day tournament will conclude Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. when South Alabama squares off with Southeastern Louisiana.

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 marked its best start since 2002 when it began the season 4-0 … The Jags improved to 9-0 all-time against Jackson State … Overstreet extended his hitting streak to 10 games and made his 157 consecutive start at third base … DeBlieux recorded his first career hit as well as his first career multiple-hit game … Patterson recorded his first stolen base as a Jaguar, and swiped two bags in the game … McGinnis recorded his first career save … Kirkland has hit safely in his first four career games at South Alabama …  Crenshaw recorded his longest career start and struck out a career-high four batters … Dees tied a career high in strikeouts.