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MOBILE, Ala. – The 18th-ranked University of South Alabama baseball team defeated Troy 8-1 for a series-opening win at Stanky Field Friday.
South Alabama (40-14, 20-8 SBC) used a seven-run third inning, and a second-consecutive solid relief outing from Anthony Izzio to take the first game of the series. The win guaranteed the Jaguars at least a share of the regular season Sun Belt Conference title.
Izzio (2-0) tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings, and allowed just two hits with five strikeouts and no walks to earn his second win in as many appearances. Ryan Sorce (6-2) took the loss for Troy, allowing seven runs on 10 hits with a walk and a strikeout.
After 2 1/2 scoreless innings, the Jags opened the game with a seven-run third inning. Jordan Patterson led off the bottom of the third with a double to the left-center gap, before Nick Zaharion followed with a two-run homer – his sixth of the season – to left field to give the Jaguars a 2-0 lead. Nolan Earley then singled to right field, and advanced to third on a single to left-center by Dustin Dalken. Robby Campbell then delivered a two-run triple to left field to push the USA lead to 4-0. Graham Odom followed with an RBI single back up the middle to plate Campbell and extend the Jaguar lead to 5-0. Following a Troy pitching change, Patterson delivered an RBI single to left-center field to score Odom and give the Jags a 6-0 advantage. Zaharion then singled to center field to plate Jeff DeBlieux and increase the USA lead to 7-0.
Troy (37-16, 18-10 SBC) pushed its only run across in the top of the fifth on an RBI single to right-center by Danny Collins that scored Tyler Vaughn, who led off the inning with a single.
The Trojans threatened Jaguar starter James Traylor twice early on in the game. Three Troy walks loaded the bags in the top of the first, but Traylor pitched out of the jam with an inning-ending popup to first base. Troy loaded the bases in the top of the third, but Traylor struck out Matt Howard to escape the inning without allowing a run.
USA added its final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth when Patterson doubled down the right field, and scored on an RBI single to right-center field by Earley.
Patterson went 3-for-4 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored to lead USA at the plate. Zaharion went 2-for-5 with a homer, three RBI and a run. Campbell finished 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run, and Earley had two hits, one RBI and scored once. Odom went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Dalken finished with two hits and a run.
“Anthony (Izzio) was outstanding tonight,” head coach Mark Calvi said. “He was huge out of the bullpen. He picked up James (Traylor), whose pitch-count got high. I told the team (after the game) that was the worst Traylor has been all year, but we won anyway. You have to win when you don’t have great stuff, and he didn’t have great stuff tonight. He uncharacteristically walked a bunch of guys tonight, but he just kept gutting it out and that’s what a true pitcher does. He went out there and put us in a position to win, but it wasn’t because he wasn’t in any jams. He worked out of them, and we’re really proud of those two guys tonight.”
The series will continue with game two Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.
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—
NOTES: Dalken extended his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games … Earley and Campbell each extended their hitting streaks to 10 games … DeBlieux pushed his hitting streak to eight games … Every Jaguar starter recorded a hit in the game, with six collecting multiple hits … USA guaranteed at least a share of the regular-season championship with the win … The Jaguars recorded their first 40-win season since 2003.
