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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Anthony Izzio scattered seven hits and allowed just one run in six innings pitched to lead the second-seeded University of South Alabama baseball team to a 9-4 win over third-seeded Mercer in the opening round of the NCAA Starkville Regional at Dudy Noble Field.

Izzio (4-0) struck out five and issued one walk to earn his fourth consecutive win in as many appearances. It also marked South Alabama’s first NCAA Regional win since 2006.

“Anthony (Izzio) was really good,” head coach Mark Calvi said. “I tell these guys that when you don’t have your best stuff that you have to win anyway. That was probably the worst his stuff has been in a month, but he did a really good job today. It doesn’t matter what kind of stuff you have, it’s the results and the way you fight out there that matters. And he did an outstanding job. I couldn’t be more proud of a better kid. He’s been fantastic for us. He’s a great teammate and representative of our baseball program and university.”

USA (43-18) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first on consecutive singles from Jeff DeBlieux and Bud Collura, and a walk by Jordan Patterson. Nick Zaharion followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Jags a 1-0 lead. Nolan Earley then drew a walk to load the bases for the second time in the inning before Dustin Dalken delivered a two-run single through the right side of the infield to score Collura and Patterson and push the USA lead to 3-0.

“I thought it was big,” Calvi said of the three-run Jaguar first inning. “Jeff DeBlieux and the top part of the order put some good at-bats together and laid off some tough pitches. It was hot out there and he (Mercer starter Brandon Barker) was starting to get a little frustrated. He has good stuff and has great numbers this year. But credit our hitters because they really put together some good at-bats. Even the guys who didn’t get a hit or drive in a run saw some pitches, and we kept getting the next guy in there. Our guys did a really good job of playing team offense today.”

USA increased its lead to 4-0 in the top of the second on an RBI single to right-center field by Zaharion that scored DeBlieux, who led off the inning with a single to left field.

Mercer (43-17) loaded the bases in the top of the third on a leadoff double by Sasha Lagarde, walk by Chesny Young and single by Nick Backlund. But Izzio struck out Logan Gaines for the second out of the frame, and induced an inning-ending flyout to left field off the bat of Derrick Workman to escape the jam.

Mercer pushed its first run of the game across in the top of the fifth on an RBI double down the left field line by Backlund to cut the USA lead to 4-1.

But the Jags answered in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single to left field by Zaharion that scored Collura, who singled earlier in the inning. Earley followed with a two-run double to right field to increase the Jag lead to 6-1. Dalken’s two-run single to right field one batter later pushed the USA lead to 8-1.

USA added its final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Collura that plated Robby Campbell, who led off the inning with a walk.

Mercer added the game’s final runs in the top of the eighth, scoring three runs in the inning on two sacrifice flies and an RBI single from Young.

Eight Jaguar starters recorded hits in the game, led by DeBlieux who went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Dalken went 2-for-4 with four RBI, and Zaharion finished 2-for-2 with three RBI and a run. Collura added two hits, one RBI and two runs, and Earley had two hits, one RBI and a run.

South Alabama will face the winner of No. 1 seed Mississippi State and fourth-seeded Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. Saturday in a winner’s bracket game.

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).

NOTES:  Earley tied Marlon Anderson for seventh on the career hits list at 218 … The win marked the Jags first in an NCAA Regional since defeating Tulane 7-1 in the opening round of the 2006 Oxford (Miss.) Regional … It also marked head coach Mark Calvi’s first postseason win as a head coach.