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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Louisiana at Monroe held a one-run lead heading into the ninth inning before posting four runs in their final at-bat to knock off University of South Alabama baseball 8-3 Friday night at Stanky Field.

ULM (14-7, 3-1 SBC) loaded the bases with one out in the ninth following a leadoff double by Jarrett Hammond, an intentional walk to Les Aulds and a base on balls by Caleb Clowers. Warhawk clean-up hitter Joey Rapp then cleared the bases with a double to left field to give the Warhawks a 7-3 lead. ULM tacked on their final run in the inning when Jason Hicks reached on an error that allowed Rapp to score.

Right-hander Drew Granier (3-1) earned the win in seven innings, and scattered seven hits while allowing three runs. Granier tied a season high with 10 strikeouts while issuing six walks. James Jones pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn his third save of the season.

South Alabama right-hander Garrett Harris (3-1) suffered the loss in eight innings pitched, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk.

Nolan Earley went 3-for-5 with two RBI to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Jeff DeBlieux finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Logan Kirkland, Jake Overstreet, Trey Sorrells and Brad Hook added one hit apiece.

Aulds went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Warhawks at the plate, while Rapp went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Matt Laird went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Hammond finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Jordy Poche added a hit and an RBI.

USA (11-10, 1-3 SBC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Kirkland singled to right field to lead off the game, stole second and later scored on Earley’s two-out single to center field.

The Jaguars doubled their lead in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Taylor White to score Hook, who singled earlier in the inning. Earley collected his second RBI of the game later in the inning when he singled up the middle to score DeBlieux, who also singled earlier in the frame, to push the Jaguar lead to 3-0 through two innings.

ULM answered to cut the USA lead to 3-1 in the top of the third inning on Aulds’ ground out to second base to score Laird, who singled to right field to lead off the inning.

The Warhawks cut the Jaguar lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning on Aulds’ RBI single to left field to score Laird, who led off the inning with a single to center.

ULM took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh on a two-out RBI double by Aulds that scored Hammond, and an RBI single by Poche that scored Aulds.

The Jaguars left 11 runners on base in the game, while ULM left seven.

“We let [Drew] Granier settle in,” South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell said. “He threw about 60 pitches in the first few innings; his pitch count was way up. But I give him a lot of credit, he settled down and pitched and started locating a lot better. But our hitters have to do a better job. Garrett [Harris] threw another great game for us, and it’s ashame that we again didn’t score enough runs. I thought we started off the game hitting the ball well, but after the first two innings there was hardly any offense. We got runners on, but just couldn’t get that big hit.”

Game two of the three-game set will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday evening 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:  With the loss, South Ala bama fell to 16-10 all-time against ULM … Harris suffered his first loss of the season … Harris’ streak of not allowing an earned run ended at 21 innings … Kirkland extended his hitting streak to seven games … Earley recorded his eighth multiple-hit and third multiple-RBI game of the season.