Box score

TROY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team fell to Troy 8-7 Sunday in the series finale at Riddle-Pace Field.

Troy (12-6, 1-2 SBC) used a five-run seventh inning to knock off the Jags and avoid a series sweep after USA took the first two games of the series.

South Alabama (17-4, 2-1 SBC) held a 5-3 lead entering the bottom of the seventh. A Jaguar error allowed the Trojans to cut the USA lead to 5-4 before a two-run double by Danny Collins gave Troy a 6-5 lead. One batter later, Trae Santos delivered a three-run home run to left field to push the Troy lead to 8-5.

USA scratched a run across in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Earley that scored Robby Campbell, who led off the inning with a single.

The Jaguars added the game’s final run in the top of the ninth when Brent Michell reached on a one-out double down the left field line and scored on a wild pitch from Troy left-hander Nate Hill.

Austin (1-0) earned the win in 1 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits. Howard earned his third save of the year in two-thirds of an inning.

Jaguar left-hander James Traylor (2-2) suffered the loss in one-third of an inning, allowing four earned runs on three hits with a strikeout and a walk.

Jordan Patterson went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Dustin Dalken finished 1-for-3 with a homer, three RBI and a run. Campbell had a hit and scored twice, and Mitchell doubled and scored a run. Graham Odom also added a hit.

Patterson gave the Jags a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a one-out, two-run homer to left field, but Troy answered with a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single to center field by Collins.

Santos tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third with a solo homer to right field.

A walk to Cole Billingsley and hit by pitch to Patterson gave USA runners at first and second with one out in the top of the sixth. Dalken then delivered a two-out, three-run homer to right-center field to give the Jags a 5-3 lead.

Santos went 2-for-3 with two homers, three RBI and two runs to lead Troy at the plate.

“(Shane) McCain did a good job,” USA head coach Mark Calvi said. “He two-hit us through six innings, and I feel fortunate to get the runs that we did. Troy came out and swung the bats, pitched and played better than we did today.

“But we won the series at a place that is tough to play; the guys did a good job. I am proud of them. It was a good weekend overall. You hate to ever lose, but they played better than we did today. That’s a good team and they are coached well; they are going to win some games this year. But it was a good series win for us this weekend.”

South Alabama will return to action Tuesday when it travels to Hammond, La., for a 6 p.m. contest with Southeastern Louisiana.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—