Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Columbia outscored the Jaguars 10-1 through the first five innings and pounded out 22 hits in the game to knock off University of South Alabama baseball 17-5 Monday afternoon at Stanky Field.

USA (9-6) stranded 20 baserunners, and left the bases loaded three times in the game.

Columbia (4-3) scored multiple runs in the first two innings, posting two runs in the top of the first, and took a 6-1 lead after 1 1/2 innings after a four-run second inning that was aided by a three-run double by Eric Williams.

Williams went 3-for-5 with a double and five RBI in the game, while Columbia left fielder Jason Banos finished 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and five RBI to lead the Lions at the plate.

“They [Columbia] jumped on us early,” South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell said. “They swung the bats. Columbia has a good-looking team. I’m disappointed in the way we played. The tempo we set on the mound early was not good, but they came out swinging it. Their guys shut us down, but we left so many men on base. When they had guys on base, they came through with some key hits. But we’ve learned some things about our club. We know we have a ways to go.

“It is a huge series this weekend with conference play starting on the road at Troy. I’m anxious to see our guys go into the challenge of Sun Belt play. Winning the first two and then losing the last two of a series hurts. It would have been nice to get three out of four from them, but they are well-coached and well-disciplined team. But hopefully everything will even itself out down the road and we will play much better.”

The Jaguars pushed their first run of the game across in the bottom of the second on Logan Kirkland’s sacrifice fly to center field that scored Nolan Earley.

The Lions added three runs in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run double by Banos and an RBI single by Mike Fischer to extend their lead to 9-1 through 3 1/2 innings.

After Columbia scored one run in the top of the fifth and two runs in the top of the sixth inning, South Alabama cut the Lion lead to 12-4 with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Overstreet doubled to left field to score Taylor White to push the Jags’ first run of the frame across, and Earley followed with an RBI double to right-center field to score Overstreet. Brad Hook added USA’s final run in the inning on a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Tanner, who walked earlier in the inning.

The Lions added two runs in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run single to center field off the bat of Williams to take a 14-4 lead.

USA added its final run in the bottom of the eighth when Trey Sorrells hit a solo home run, his first career homer, over the left field wall to cut the Columbia lead to 14-5.

The Lions added three runs in the top of the ninth inning on RBI singles by Alex Black and Kevin Roberts, and a ground out off the bat of Banos.

Jaguar right-hander Collin Blankenship (0-1) suffered the loss in his first career start, allowing four runs on six hits while issuing one walk.

USA relievers allowed 13 runs, all of which were earned, on 16 hits in the game.

Columbia right-hander Zack Tax (1-0) earned the win in three innings of relief, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two and walking three.

White went 4-for-6 with a run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Sorrells finished 2-for-5 with a home run, one RBI and a run scored, and Logan Kirkland went 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI.

South Alabama will return to action Fri., March 18, at 6 p.m. when it opens Sun Belt Conference play with a three-game series at Troy.

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:  Sorrells collected his first career hit as a Jaguar … Hunt Griffith recorded his first career hit at South Alabama when he doubled in the ninth inning … Overstreet recorded one hit in the game, and is now one hit shy of tying former Jaguars Ryan Mulhern and Scott Calahan for fourth place on the career hits list at South Alabama … Overstreet also started his 168th consecutive game at third base … With the loss, the Jaguars fell to 2-2 all-time against Columbia.