Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – No. 2 Texas-Arlington defeated No. 7 University of South Alabama baseball 8-4 in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Stanky Field.

UTA right-hander Daniel Milliman (6-0) allowed three unearned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and five walks to earn the win. Jaguar right-hander Ben Taylor (3-5) took the loss in 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks. USA right-hander Matt Bell tossed 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings, and allowed just one hit while striking out three and issuing a pair of walks.

Travis Sibley went 2-for-3 with a double, four RBI and two runs scored to lead UTA at the plate. Drew LaBounty tied a career high in hits, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Jaguars offensively. Cole Gleason went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored.

UTA (31-25) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Greg McCall reached on a leadoff walk and scored later in the inning on a one-out double to right-center field by JM Twichell. Sibley reached on a hit by pitch from Taylor to load the bases with two outs, but the right-hander escaped the jam with an inning-ending flyout to right field off the bat of Derek Miller.

The Mavericks doubled their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third when Ryan Bottger reached on a one-out walk, and scored one batter later on a double to right-center field by Matt Shortall.

Darien McLemore reached on a one-out single to center field, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Jaguar catcher Erik Hindmon in the bottom of the fourth. Sibley followed with an RBI single to shallow right field to score McLemore and extend the UTA lead to 3-0. Sibley scored on a wild pitch from James Traylor later in the inning to push the Maverick lead to 4-0.

UTA then doubled its lead in the bottom of the fifth with four runs. Twichell reached on a hit by pitch from Traylor to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and moved to second on a bunt single to first base by Levi Scott. McLemore followed with a walk to load the bases with no outs. Sibley then delivered a bases-loaded, three-run double down the left field line to extend the UTA lead to 7-0. An RBI double with one out inside the first base line by Eric Tate scored Sibley and pushed the UTA lead to 8-0.

USA (22-32) loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth after Connor Hawthorne reached on a leadoff walk, Cameron Cummings reached on a fielding error by Sibley and Davis Knapp drew a walk. LaBounty followed with a two-out, two-run single down the right field line to score Hawthorne and Cummings and cut the UTA lead to 8-2. DeGallier then doubled down the left field line to plate Knapp and cut the USA deficit to 8-3.

The Jags pushed the game's final run across in the top of the ninth on a two-out RBI single by Hayden Jones.

South Alabama will return to action Thursday when it takes on No. 3 Arkansas State at 12:30 p.m. in an elimination game 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).