Box score


BOWLING GREEN, Ky.  – Jaguar left-hander Andrew Fonzi allowed just one run on three hits to lead University of South Alabama baseball to a 5-3 win over Western Kentucky Thursday in day two of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Fonzi (2-3) earned his second consecutive win while striking out four and issuing five walks. He retired seven of the final eight batters he faced in the game.

“I didn’t treat it any different than if I were coming out of the bullpen,” Fonzi said. “I just tried to work backwards, stay in the zone and keep them off-balance. I was able to get them out front with my changeup and curveball, and then catch them off-guard with my fastball.”

Nick Zaharion gave the Jags a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when he lifted a 1-0 pitch from WKU left-hander Tim Bado over the left field wall.

The Hilltoppers tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI groundout by Ryan Huck that scored Scott Wilcox, who reached on a walk to lead off the inning.

In the top of the sixth, the Jags took a 3-1 lead on a two-run pinch-hit home run by J.T. Files, his first career homer as a Jaguar.

USA extended its lead to 5-1 in the top of the eighth on an RBI fielder’s choice by Brad Hook and RBI double by Hunt Griffith.

WKU (24-33) added the game’s final two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a two-run homer by Devin Kelly, but USA left-hander James Traylor entered and recorded the final three outs of the game to earn his first career save.

Jordan Patterson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Files finished 2-for-2 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Zaharion finished 1-for-3 with a home run, one RBI and a run, and Robby Campbell added two hits. Hook and Griffith had a hit and one RBI apiece.

“I thought (Andrew) Fonzi threw extremely well,” USA head coach Mark Calvi said. “We walked eight total batters, and very rarely can you do that and still win. But we gave up four hits and all in all it’s when they (walks) happen and the pitches you make after them. But Fonzi did an outstanding job. He went deep in the ballgame and gave us a chance to win.

“Our guys swung the bats very well too. (Nick) Zaharion got us on the board with a big home run, then J.T. (Files) hit a two-run home run and Hunt Griffith had an RBI double; we needed those runs to survive.”

South Alabama (22-34) will conclude the 2012 season Friday with a 7 p.m. matchup against Florida Atlantic at Bowling Green Ballpark.

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).