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MOBILE, Ala. – Brad Hook hit a two-out, game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Jake Overstreet delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to lift the University of South Alabama baseball team to an 8-7 series-clinching win Saturday at Stanky Field.
South Alabama (24-23, 11-12 SBC) faced a 7-3 deficit heading into the bottom of the ninth, and rallied to load the bases when Overstreet reached on a fielder’s choice, Tanner followed with a single and Earley walked. Arkansas State right-hander Cory Kyle induced a pop-up off the bat of Logan Kirkland for the second out of the inning before Hook came to the plate. Hook worked the count to 3-1 then delivered a game-tying grand slam over the right field wall.
In the bottom of the 10th, Taylor White drew a leadoff walk, and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jeff DeBlieux. Overstreet then hit ASU reliever Daniel Wright’s 0-1 pitch off the left field wall to score White for the game-winning run.
“We left guys on base early in the game, and I thought it was going to come back to haunt us,” South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell said. “We had some guys work to get on base in the ninth inning, and then (Brad) Hook came through in the clutch – it doesn’t get any more clutch than that.
“We needed to win this series, and we’ve done that. Now we just need to win every game we can and get to the Sun Belt tournament. Every game is important from here on out. We only have seven conference games left, and they are all huge.”
Jaguar left-hander Phillip Byrd (2-0) earned the win in 1 1/3 shutout innings in relief with a strikeout and one walk. Wright (1-4) suffered the loss in 2/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit with one walk.
Hook went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and a run scored to lead South Alabama at the plate. Tanner, DeBlieux and Kirkland added two hits each, and Nolan Earley drove in two runs.
Todd Baumgartner finished 3-for-5 with a homer, four RBI and two runs scored for Arkansas State. Ryhan Emery, Logan Uxa and Zach George added two hits apiece.
South Alabama jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Earley delivered a bases-loaded two-run single to left field.
Arkansas State (22-27, 10-13 SBC) took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on a three-run homer to left field by Baumgartner.
USA answered to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Kirkland, but the Red Wolves answered to tie the game in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Baumgartner. The Red Wolves took a 5-3 lead later in the inning on a wild pitch.
ASU added two additional runs in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Uxa and took a 7-3 lead later in the inning when Brandon Milhouse scored on groundball double play off the bat of Tyler Smith.
With the win, South Alabama clinched its first SBC series since it swept UALR April 15-17 at Stanky Field.
USA will go for the series sweep in game three 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: Overstreet passed former Jaguar Tyrone Dixon for second on the career at-bats list with his at-bat in the bottom of the first inning … Taylor White extended his hitting streak to eight games … Overstreet drove in a run for the fourth consecutive game … South Alabama improved to 54-18 all-time against Arkansas State.
