Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Right-hander Dustin Crenshaw recorded a career-high eight strikeouts to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 10-5 win over the University of Louisiana at Monroe Saturday at Stanky Field.

Crenshaw (4-0) pitched six innings and allowed five runs on 10 hits without issuing a walk. He has now tossed 44 1/3 innings this season without surrendering a base on balls.

Kyle Dees pitched three scoreless innings in relief, and allowed just two hits while striking out two to earn his second save of the season.

Eight Jaguar hitters recorded hits in the game, led by Brent Tanner who went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Taylor White went 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored an an RBI. Nolan Earley finished 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.

ULM left-hander Randy Zeigler (2-2) suffered the loss in 1/3 of an inning, allowing five runs on two hits. Shelby Aulds and Kendall Thamm combined to pitch the final 7 2/3 innings for the Warhawks, and allowed five runs on nine hits collectively.

Joey Rapp went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI to lead ULM at the plate. Les Aulds went 2-for-5 with a homer, one RBI and a run scored. Jason Hicks added two hits for the Warhawks.

ULM pushed three runs across in the top of the first inning on two-out RBI singles by Caleb Knox, Hicks and Matt Laird. Crenshaw stuck out the first two Warhawk batters in the game before surrendering five consecutive singles, allowing three ULM runners to cross the plate.

South Alabama answered to take a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the first on RBI singles by Earley and Tanner, and a two-run single by Hook. Three Warhawk errors in the inning, including a catcher’s interference, paved the way for the Jaguars to score five unearned runs.

The Jags extended their lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the second inning when Logan Kirkland reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning and later score on Earley’s groundout to first base.

ULM (14-8, 3-2 SBC) added a run in the top of the third when Rapp homered over the left field wall to cut the USA lead to 6-4.

The Warhawks cut the USA lead to 6-5 in the top of the fourth inning when Aulds homered to right field, but the Jags answered to take a 7-5 lead in the bottom-half of the fourth  when Tanner delivered a two-out double to right field to score Earley, who doubled ahead of Tanner.

White extended the USA lead to 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning when he led off the inning with a solo blast over the right field wall.

South Alabama (12-10, 2-3 SBC) pushed its lead to 9-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Kirkland singled up the middle to score Hook, who reached on a fielder’s choice earlier in the inning.

The Jaguars added their final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth when Jordan Patterson launched a 3-1 fastball from Thamm over the center field wall, tying him with White for the team-lead in home runs.

The series will conclude with the rubber match at 1 p.m. Sunday 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:  Crenshaw struck out a career-high eight batters, and has now pitched 44 1/3 innings without issuing a walk this season … Kirkland extended his hitting streak to eight games … Earley recorded his ninth multiple-hit game of the season … Dees recorded his second save of the season … With the win, South Alabama improved to 17-10 all-time against ULM, and 14-6 all-time against the Warhawks at Stanky Field.