Box score

TROY, Ala. – Troy scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning en route to a 7-3 series-clinching win over University of South Alabama baseball Friday at Riddle-Pace Field.

Troy (24-29, 11-17 SBC) broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth with four runs on four hits, highlighted by RBI singles from Ali Knowles, two-run double by Matthew Howard and RBI single by Adam Tewksbury.

Trojan right-hander Marc Skinner (5-1) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings, and allowed just one hit and struck out one to earn the win. Jaguar right-hander Ben Taylor (3-4) took the loss in 1 2/3 relief innings, allowing four runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts and one walk.

Howard went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored to lead Troy at the plate. Cameron Cummings tied a career high in hits, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and one run scored. Cole Gleason went 2-for-5 with an RBI, and Bud Collura added two hits. Davis Knapp and Drew LaBounty added a double, one RBI and one run apiece.

The Trojans jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Ali Knowles and Howard reached on consecutive walks issued by Jaguar starter Locke St. John to lead off the bottom of the third, and advanced one base each on a sacrifice bunt from Adam Tewksbury. Clay Holcomb followed with an RBI single back up the middle to score Knowles for a 1-0 Trojan lead. Jakob Nixon grounded to first base for the second out of the inning that allowed Howard to score and double the Troy lead to 2-0.

USA (21-31, 10-18 SBC) tied the game on three consecutive doubles with no outs in the top of the fifth inning. Cummings doubled off the right field wall to lead off the frame, and scored one batter later when Knapp doubled to the left-center gap. LaBounty followed with an RBI double down the right field line to plate Knapp and tie the game 2-2. Gleason delivered a two-out RBI single to right field later in the inning to score LaBounty and give the Jags a 3-2 lead.

But Troy answered to tie the game in the bottom-half of the fifth when Howard reached on a one-out double, and scored on Erik Hindmon's throw down to second on a steal attempt by Holcomb.

South Alabama will conclude its regular-season schedule Saturday in the series finale with Troy, which is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch and will be televised by the Sun Belt Network and available on CSS and WatchESPN.com.

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).