Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Troy right-hander Tanner Hicks tossed a complete-game shutout to lead the Trojans to a 5-0 win over University of South Alabama baseball Friday at Stanky Field.

Hicks (2-2) allowed six hits and struck out five while issuing one walk to earn his second win of the season. Jaguar right-hander Kevin Hill (1-2) took the loss in 6 1/3 innings pitched, allowing three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts against four walks. Cameron Carleton and Dillon Buhrkuhl combined to toss 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.

David Hall went 2-for-3 with a home run, one RBI and a run scored, and Nick Masonia added a homer, two RBI and a run to lead Troy (10-7, 1-0 SBC) at the plate. Bud Collura went 2-for-4 to lead the Jaguar offense.

USA (9-8, 0-1 SBC) threatened with runners at the corners and one out in the bottom of the first when Collura reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third on a single by Hayden Jones to right-center field. But Hicks recorded a popup and inning-ending strikeout to escape the threat without allowing a run to cross.

The Trojans took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on consecutive two-out solo home runs by Masonia and Hall. Troy extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third when Clay Holcomb reached on a leadoff single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Vaughn then stole third before Erik Hindmon's throw sailed into left field to allow him to score.

Troy put two runners in scoring position with no outs in the top of the fourth on a leadoff walk by Kyle Brown and bunt single from Matt Howard in which Hill fielded and threw wide of first base to allow each runner to advance. But the right-hander pitched out of the jam with three consecutive outs via two groundouts and a strikeout to keep the Jaguar deficit at four runs.

The first two Trojans reached on consecutive walks issued by Hill to lead off the top of the sixth. A sacrifice bunt from Howard moved both runners into scoring position. The lead runner, Trevin Hall, was tagged out attempting to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of Masonia for the second out of the inning. David Hall followed with a two-out walk to load the bases for Justin Hancock, who Hill got to flyout to right field to end the inning and escape the jam.

Troy scored the game's final run in the top of the seventh when Vaughn reached on a one-out double to left field, and scored on an RBI single up the middle of the infield from Garrett Pitts. Trevin Hall reached on a hit by pitch before a wild pitch from Cameron Carleton allowed Pitts to move to third with one out. Carleton then struck out Brown before inducing an inning-ending flyout to center field off the bat of Howard.

The series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader, beginning with game two at noon at Stanky Field. The series finale will begin approximately 30 minutes after the completion of game two.  

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).