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MOBILE, Ala. – Three Jaguar pitchers combined to shut out Alabama to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 3-0 win over the Crimson Tide Tuesday at Stanky Field.

Right-hander Austin Bembnowski (2-2) tossed five scoreless innings, and allowed just two hits while striking out five and issuing one walk. Ben Taylor tossed four scoreless relief innings, and struck out a career-high eight batters against one walk while allowing just four hits to earn his second save of the season. Alabama right-hander Jake Walters (2-1) allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings in the loss.

"Austin Bembnowski gave us a great start," Calvi said. "He has been one of our guys. He has started and pitched in relief, and I thought he was the best candidate to start tonight. He gave us five innings and got us through the first half of the ballgame. And Ben Taylor was phenomenal in relief. We left some men on base, but got some timely hits. You hate to leave as many men on base as we did, but I will take the win."

USA (16-9) jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the third inning. Matt Bolger led off with a double, and advanced to third on a throwing error into second by Alabama right fielder Casey Hughston. Ryan Raspino followed with an RBI groundout to shortstop to plate Bolger for a 1-0 Jaguar advantage.

South Alabama doubled its lead in the bottom of the fourth. Bud Collura reached on a leadoff single to left field, and advanced to second when Walters' throw to second on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Adam Ballew sailed wide of the bag. A groundout to shortstop for the first out of the inning off the bat of Danny Martinez moved both runners into scoring position. Cole Gleason followed with a sacrifice fly to right field that plated Collura for a 2-0 USA lead.

USA threatened in the bottom of the fifth. Raspino reached on a one-out single, moved to second on a groundout to shortstop by Cole Billingsley and advanced to third on a passed ball by Crimson Tide catcher Will Haynie. A wild pitch from Walters allowed Jared Barnes, who reached on a two-out walk, to advance to second. A walk to Collura loaded the bases for Ballew, but Walters induced an inning-ending popup to shortstop to escape the jam without allowing a run.

Alabama loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth on a leadoff single to Avant, and consecutive walks issued by Jaguar left-hander Austin Stephens. USA right-hander Ben Taylor entered in relief and recorded consecutive strikeouts of Hughston and Kyle Overstreet for the first two outs of the inning before inducing an inning-ending groundout to shortstop off the bat of Chance Vincent to end the threat and preserve a two-run Jaguar lead.

The Jags pushed the game's final run across in the bottom of the sixth. Gleason reached on a one-out double to right-center field, and scored one batter later on an RBI single to center field by Bolger to increase the USA lead to 3-0.

Bolger went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and a run scored to lead USA at the plate. Collura added two hits, and Martinez and Raspino added a hit and an RBI each. Mikey White went 2-for-3 to lead Alabama offensively.

South Alabama will return to action this weekend when it travels to Monroe, La., for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series with Louisiana-Monroe.

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).