MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee right-hander Daniel Palo allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings to lead the Blue Raiders to a 5-2 win over University of South Alabama baseball at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

Palo (1-3) held the Jaguars scoreless through the first six innings, and finished with five strikeouts and three walks to lead MTSU to their first home conference win of the season.

Paul Mittura earned his third save of the season in two innings, and allowed just two hits without allowing a run while striking out two.

USA right-hander Garrett Harris (3-2) suffered the loss in seven innings pitched, and allowed five runs, only three of which were earned, and surrendered six hits while striking out four without issuing a walk. Friday’s game marked Harris’ fifth quality start of the season.

Trey Sorrells went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI to lead South Alabama at the plate. Nolan Earley went 2-for-3 with a double, and Taylor White added two hits and a run scored.

Justin Guidry went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the Blue Raiders at the plate. Matt Drake finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Middle Tennessee (7-17, 1-6 SBC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jerry Roam’s throw to first base fell short to Brad Hook, allowing Guidry to score from first. MTSU doubled its lead later in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Drake that scored Guidry, who singled earlier in the inning, to take a 2-0 lead.

Palo did not allow a Jaguar to reach third base until the top of the fifth inning when Hook led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Roam’s sacrifice bunt. But Palo induced a ground ball to third off the bat of Tilur Smith a batter later, and Hook was thrown out at the plate.

Middle Tennessee extended its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth on RBI singles by Guidry and Drake, and a squeeze bunt by Johnny Thomas that scored Will Skinner, who singled earlier in the inning.

South Alabama (13-12, 3-4 SBC) cut the MTSU lead to 5-2 in the top of the eighth inning when Sorrells delivered a two-out, bases-loaded double down the right field line to score White and Jordan Patterson. USA loaded the bases with no outs on consecutive singles from White and Patterson and a hit by pitch to Overstreet. Sorrells then came to the plate with two outs before lacing the first pitch he saw from Mittura down the line.

The loss marked the Jaguars’ first this season when it outhits the opposition. South Alabama fell to 35-18 all-time against the Blue Raiders, and 11-7 all-time in Murfreesboro.

South Alabama stranded nine runners in the game, while Middle Tennessee left just three runners on base.

The series will continue with game two Saturday at 3 p.m., and will be televised on CSS. USA right-hander Dustin Crenshaw (4-0) will go against MTSU right-hander Daniel Adkins (0-5).

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:  Harris recorded his fifth quality start of the season … White and Earley each recorded their 10th multiple-hit game of the season … Sorrells recorded his first career multiple-RBI game … USA fell to 35-18 all-time against Middle Tennessee with the loss.