Box score

TROY, Ala. – Troy scored five unanswered runs to defeat University of South Alabama baseball 6-1 Sunday afternoon at Riddle–Pace Field.

Troy (16-4, 2-1 SBC) clinched the series 2-1 with the win, while South Alabama fell to 9-14 all-time at Troy.

With the score knotted at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Logan Pierce delivered a bases-loaded, one-out double down the right field line to clear the bases and give the Trojans a 4-1 lead.

Troy added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI double by Adam Bryant and RBI single by T.J. Rivera to extend the Trojan lead to 6-1.

Trojan left-hander Garrett McHenry (1-0) earned the win in 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, and allowed just one hit while striking out three and issuing one walk.

Brad Hook (0-2) suffered the loss for the Jaguars, allowing four runs on 12 hits while striking out one and walking two.

Five Trojans recorded multiple hits in the contests, led by Logan Pierce who went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI. Bryant, Rivera and Tyler Hannah each recorded three hits and one RBI.

Logan Kirkland led the Jaguar hitting attack, finishing 3-for-4 with one RBI. Brent Tanner added two hits, while Taylor White, Jordan Patterson and Jeff DeBlieux recorded one hit apiece.

Troy broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when Hannah delivered a two-out single to left field to score Tyson Workman, who singled earlier in the inning. Workman and Rivera pieced together two-out singles ahead of Hannah.

South Alabama answered to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning on Kirkland’s RBI single through the left side of the infield to score DeBlieux, who led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Hunt Griffith’s sacrifice bunt.

The Jags loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh, but McHenry struck out pinch-hitter Jake Overstreet and got Griffith to fly out to right field to end the threat without allowing a run. Overstreet just missed an extra-base hit down the first base line that went foul, but would have put the Jaguars ahead.

“It was a pitcher’s day today. The wind was blowing in, but they [Troy] swung the bats pretty well,” South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell said. “I thought to have it tied 1-1 like we did was good, but then we had the situation with the bases loaded and didn’t score. That is a tough situation for Jake [Overstreet]. We knew we could pinch-hit him; I thought that was the time to do it but it just didn’t work out. It’s disappointing, but we just have to bounce back in our midweek games and get ready for next weekend and Louisiana-Monroe.” 

USA (10-8, 1-2 SBC) will return to action Tue., March 22, when it hosts Jackson State at 6 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:  Overstreet’s consecutive-start streak ended at 170 games … Kirkland tied a career high in hits with three … Tanner recorded his team-leading 10th multiple-hit game … USA fell to 32-23 all-time against Troy with the loss on Sunday.