Photo Gallery


MOBILE, Ala.  – The University of South Alabama baseball team swept Western Kentucky in a doubleheader to clinch its final Sun Belt Conference home series Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field.


Game 1 – South Alabama 4, Western Kentucky 1

Box score

Jarron Cito matched a career high with nine strikeouts, and allowed just one run on four hits in seven innings to lead the Jaguars to a 4-1 win in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Cito (7-4) retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced in the game, including nine straight to end the day. Kyle Bartsch tossed two shutout innings in relief, and struck out three with one walk to earn his ninth save of the season.

Graham Odom went 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Jags at the plate. Nolan Earley went 1-for-2 with a home run, one RBI and two runs scored, and Jordan Patterson finished with a triple and one RBI.

The Hilltoppers loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first on a single by Scott Wilcox, fielder’s choice by Casey Dykes and walk to Ryan Hutchison. Cito struck out Ryan Huck for the second out of the frame before Devin Kelly reached on an infield single to score Wilcox and give WKU a 1-0 lead.

The Jags loaded the bags in the bottom of the second on a single by Nick Zaharion and consecutive walks by Earley and Brad Hook. Odom followed with a two-out, two-run single back up the middle of the infield to give the Jags a 2-1 lead.

USA added to its lead in the bottom of the third when Dorsey led off the inning with a double down the right field line, and scored on Patterson’s RBI triple to right-center field for a 3-1 advantage.

Earley provided an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out solo homer into the Jaguar Alley decks in right-center field.

WKU left-hander Tim Bado (4-6) suffered the loss in eight innings, allowing four runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Kelly went 1-for-4 with an RBI to lead WKU at the plate.


Game 2 - South Alabama 8, Western Kentucky 7

Box score

A four-run fourth inning and solid start by Payton Gardner helped the Jags to an 8-7 series-clinching win in the second game of the twinbill.

Gardner (1-5) earned his first career win in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts and five walks. Bartsch earned his 10th save of the season in 1/3 of an inning in relief, allowing just one hit while issuing two walks.

Hilltopper right-hander Justin Hageman (3-6) took the loss in 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on four hits with three strikeouts and four walks.

South Alabama (20-31, 14-13 SBC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Dorsey that scored Robby Campbell, who singled to lead off the inning. Dorsey scored on a passed ball later in the frame to double the USA lead to 2-0.

WKU (21-30, 11-16 SBC) cut the Jaguar lead in half in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Ryan Messex before the Jags plated four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-1 lead.

The Jags loaded the bases in the fourth on a hit by pitch and two walks, and increased their lead to 3-1 when Dorsey drew a two-out walk. Patterson followed with a three-run double down the left field line to push the USA lead to 6-1.

Wilcox answered with a leadoff homer to right field in the top of the fifth to cut the USA lead to 6-2. WKU added a single run in the top of the seventh on Wilcox’s second home run of the game to cut its deficit to 6-3, but the Jags answered in the bottom-half of the seventh when Earley delivered a two-run home run, his fifth of the season, just inside the right field foul pole to give South Alabama an 8-3 lead.

The Hilltoppers loaded the bases in the top of the eighth on consecutive singles by Messex and Jared Andreoli, and a walk by Wilcox. Dykes followed with a base on balls to score Messex and cut the Jaguar lead to 8-4. Hutchison then reached on a hit by pitch to score Andreoli and cut the USA lead to 8-5.

WKU added the game’s final two runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Andreoli and bases-loaded walk by Dykes.

Dorsey went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored to lead USA in the series finale. Patterson finished 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored, and Earley went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and one run.

South Alabama will travel to Troy, Ala., for its final regular-season series of the season next week. The three-game set with the Trojans will open Thursday night at 6 p.m.

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).