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Matt Bolger
Chip English

Baseball

JAGS SWEEP SIU ON WALK-OFF FROM JONES

Matt Bolger hit his first career home run and the first Jaguar homer of the season in Sunday's win over Southern Illinois.
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MOBILE, Ala. – Hayden Jones delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 5-4 win and secure a three-game series sweep over Southern Illinois Sunday at Stanky Field.

Jaguar left fielder Davis Knapp reached on a hit by pitch from SIU reliever Kyle Pruemer with one out in the bottom of the 10th, and moved to third on a one-out single to left-center field by Bud Collura before Jones lifted an 0-1 pitch to left field to score Knapp with the game-winning run.

South Alabama (8-7) trailed by a pair of runs after seven-and-a-half innings, but rallied to tie the game 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth. Knapp reached on a one-out single back up the middle, advanced to second on a walk by Collura and scored on an RBI double to left-center by Jones to cut the SIU lead to 4-3. The Jags tied the game 4-4 one batter later on a sacrifice fly to center field by Matt Wojciechowski that scored Collura.

Southern Illinois (8-6) built a three-run lead after the game's first two frames. Jake Welch led off the game with a single to right-center, moved to second on a walk by Ryan Sabo and advanced to third on a flyout to center field by Jake Hand. Ryan Casillas then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to score Welch and give SIU a 1-0 lead. A two-out single by Matt Jones put runners at the corners for Donny Duschinsky, who flared a ball into shallow right-center field that was gloved on a head-first diving catch by Gleason to end the inning.

Parker Osborne led off the SIU second inning with a double off the base of the left field wall, and scored on a one-out double to left-center by Ryan Rosthenhausler to double the SIU lead to 2-0. Welch followed with an RBI single to center field to chase USA starter Jared Gates from the game and push the Saluki lead to 3-0.

Matt Bolger put the Jags on the board in the bottom of the third when he delivered a one-out solo home run – the first of his career and the first USA longball of the season – on a 1-0 pitch from SIU starter Aaron Hauge to cut the Saluki lead to 3-1.

SIU threatened with runners at the corners and one out in the top of the fourth after a pair of singles, but Jaguar left-hander Tripp Hobbs escaped the inning without allowing a run to cross after rolling a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play ball off the bat of Sabo to keep the Jaguar deficit at 3-1.

Wojciechowski reached on a hit by pitch from Hauge to lead off the bottom of the fourth, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Cole Gleason doubled to the left-center gap to cut the SIU lead to 3-2.

SIU doubled its lead to 4-2 in the top of the sixth when Osborne singled to left field with one out, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Rolland and scored on a two-out RBI single from Rosthenhausler. Hobbs then issued two consecutive walks to load the bases for Hand, who grounded into an inning-ending fielder's choice to shortstop.

SIU pinch-hitter Connor Kopach led off the top of the ninth, and moved to third on a one-out double to right-center field by Casillas. Jaguar right-hander Ben Taylor intentionally walked Jones to load the bases and struck out Duschinsky, before striking out Osborne to escape the jam without allowing a run to score.

Taylor (1-1) earned the win in two scoreless relief innings, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts and a pair of walks. Pruemer (1-1) took the loss in 1 2/3 innings, and allowed one run on one hit with one walk. Hobbs allowed one run on four hits with a strikeout and four walks in a career-high 6 2/3 innings pitched.

Knapp tallied a career high in hits, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored to lead the Jags at the plate. Jones finished with a double and two RBI, Bolger homered, drove in a run and scored once and Gleason added a double and an RBI. Welch went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Salukis at the plate.

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—

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