Box score

WICHITA, Kan.  – Dillon Buhrkuhl tossed six innings and the Jaguars scored five runs in the final three frames as the University of South Alabama baseball team defeated Wichita State 7-3 Tuesday at Eck Stadium.

Buhrkuhl (1-3) allowed one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks to earn his first career win as a Jaguar. After surrendering consecutive singles in the top of the first inning, Buhrkuhl retired 10 of the next 11 batters he faced and allowed only two hits after the first.

“I attacked with my fastball and let my defense work behind me,” Buhrkuhl said. “Our hitters came up with some big hits in key situations; it was a great team win.”

Kyle Bartsch pitched the final 1 1/3 innings and finished with a strikeout and a walk to earn his third save of the season.

South Alabama (10-14) broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh inning when Dustin Dalken delivered an RBI double to right field, following consecutive singles by Whitt Dorsey and Nick Zaharion, to take a 3-2 lead. Zaharion scored one batter later on Brad Hook’s sacrifice fly to left field to give USA a 4-2 advantage.

The Jags added a run in the top of the eighth for a 5-2 lead when Brent Mitchell tripled with one out to the right-center field gap and scored when Jordan Patterson singled up the middle.

USA added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth to push its lead to 7-3. Hunt Griffith reached on a one-out single, and moved to third on a hit-and-run with Graham Odom at the plate. After Odom stole second, Nolan Earley grounded to WSU first baseman Johnny Coy who mishandled the ball and allowed both Griffith and Odom to score.

The win extended the Jaguars’ season-best winning streak to four games.

Patterson went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two RBI and two runs scored to lead the Jags at the plate. Dorsey went 2-for-5 with a double, one RBI and one run scored. Griffith and Zaharion had two hits and one runs scored each, and Dalken added a double and one RBI.

WSU left-hander Kris Gardner (3-1) suffered the loss in six innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts.

South Alabama (10-14) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Jordan Patterson hit a two-out solo home run down the right-field line.

Wichita State (14-13) answered in the top of the first with two runs to take a 2-1 lead. The first two Shockers reached on singles and WSU tied the game 1-1 on a sacrifice bunt by Don Lambert. Wichita State then took a 2-1 lead on an RBI groundout off the bat of Johnny Coy.

The Jags tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fourth when Patterson delivered a one-out double to right-center field, and later scored to on Whitt Dorsey’s double down the left-field line.

WSU designated hitter Casey Gillaspie doubled with one out in the bottom of the fourth, and Dayne Parker followed with a single to shortstop. Tyler Baker then followed with a line drive to shortstop that Graham Odom pulled out of the air with a leaping grab for the second out of the inning. Buhrkuhl then induced an inning-ending groundout to shortstop to end the threat.

WSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth on three base on balls, but Buhrkuhl struck out Gillaspie to end the Shocker scoring threat.

The Shockers added their final run in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch, after a leadoff walk and single put runners at the corners.

The series will conclude with a 6:30 p.m. contest Wednesday evening.

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).