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MOBILE, Ala. – Tennessee Tech loaded the bases with two outs before Zach Stephens drew a walk to score pinch-runner Hunter Hudson with the eventual game-winning run in the top of the 11th inning to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 5-4 Friday at Stanky Field.

Jaguar left-hander James Traylor (0-1) recorded consecutive strikeouts to start the 11th. But TTU (1-0) followed with a single and two walks to load the bases ahead of Stephens.

 TTU right-hander Ross Spurgeon (1-0) earned the win in three relief innings, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts without surrendering a walk. Seth Lucio struck out two in one inning to earn the save. Traylor allowed only one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings, and struck out a career-high eight batters against three walks in the loss. The southpaw entered in relief of Jaguar starter Matt Bell, who allowed three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision.

"(James) Traylor pitched well," head coach Mark Calvi said. "He threw his changeup for strikes. He got deep into counts and threw a few too many pitches, but he got his guys out. He gave us a chance and kept us in the game."

South Alabama (0-1) jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the first two innings. Cole Gleason pushed the game's first run across in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Garrett DeGallier, who reached on a leadoff single, from second base.

Davis Knapp reached on a bunt single to third base to lead off the bottom of the second, and later scored on a throwing error by TTU center fielder Jake Rowland following a Logan Kirkland single to double the Jaguar lead at 2-0. After DeGallier drew a walk, Bud Collura followed with an RBI single to center field to score Kirkland for a 3-0 Jag advantage.

From that point, the Golden Eagles outscored the Jaguars 5-1. TTU cut the USA lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth when Stephens led off the inning with a solo home run to left-center field. TTU then cut its deficit to one run in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single to center field by Tyler Brazelton.

TTU tied the game 3-3 in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to center field by Dylan Bosheers, who advanced to second on the throw to the plate then scored on a Jaguar throwing error at second base to give the Golden Eagles a 4-3 lead.

But South Alabama answered to tie the game 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth on a one-out RBI single to right field by Kirkland to score pinch-runner Cole Jarman, who entered the game for Matt Wojciechowski after he led off the inning with a single.

Kirkland went 3-for-5 with an RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Gleason and Collura added two hits and one RBI apiece. Bosheers finished 2-for-5 with one RBI and a run scored to lead TTU offensively.

"We ran their starting pitcher out of there early, but didn't touch home plate again until the eighth inning," Calvi said. "We left some men on base and gave some at-bats away. We didn't have productive outs. Tennessee Tech kept playing and kept it close. We didn't put as much pressure on them from an offensive standpoint. But they hung in the ballgame and hit some mistakes. Give them credit because they strung some hits together and scored some runs. It was an evenly-played game against two even teams, and it comes down to who does the little things right. We gave away a few more free bases tonight than they did, and they made a couple of pitches and put some balls in play late in the game when we didn't and that was the difference."

The series will continue with game two Saturday at 2 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).