Box score

HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana scored seven unanswered runs over the final two frames to defeat University of South Alabama baseball 12-2 Tuesday at Alumni Field.

SLU right-hander Pat Cashman (3-3) allowed two runs on seven hits, and struck out two while issuing four walks in six innings pitched to earn the win. USA right-hander Ryne Long (2-3) allowed five runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts and one walk in the loss.

SLU (25-9) jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the first. Julian Service tripled to the left-center gap with one out, and scored one batter later when Daniel Midyett reached on a fielding error by Danny Martinez at first base.

The Jags answered to tie the game a half-inning later in the top of the second. Adam Ballew reached on a leadoff single to center field, and moved to second base on a throwing error from Cashman on a failed pickoff attempt at first base. Matt Bolger drew a two-out walk, and Ballew advanced to third on a wild pitch from Cashman in the sequence of pitches to put runners at the corners. Garrett DeGallier followed with a two-out RBI single to left-center field to tie the game 1-1.

The Lions answered in the bottom-half of the second for a three-run lead. Chris Eades drew a two-out walk from Long, and moved to second on an infield single to second by Carson Crites. Jacob Seward then delivered a two-out RBI single to center field for a 2-1 advantage. Service followed with a two-run single to center field to push the SLU lead to 4-1.

USA (22-12) loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third on a one-out single by Jared Barnes, a walk by Bud Collura and single to center field from Ballew. Martinez followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Barnes and cut the USA deficit in half at 4-2.

SLU extended its lead back to three runs in the bottom of the third when Kevin Carr reached on a leadoff single, and later scored on a safety squeeze bunt from Brett Hoffman for a 5-2 advantage.

Consecutive singles from Crites and Seward started the SLU bottom of the fourth. A groundout to third base by Service moved both runners into scoring position with one out. Cameron Cochran struck out Midyett for the second out of the frame, and induced an inning-ending groundout to shortstop off the bat of Carr to keep the Jaguar deficit at three runs.

SLU added to its lead in the bottom of the seventh. Midyett and Carr reached on consecutive singles to start the inning. Menard then reached on a throwing error by Collura on a sacrifice bunt to third, which allowed Midyett to score from second and extend the Lion lead to 6-2. A two-run, sacrifice bunt from SLU pinch-hitter Ryan Byers pushed the lead to 8-2.

The Lions scored the game's final runs in the bottom of the eighth on RBI singles by Menard and Hoffman, bases-loaded walks by Eades and Jacob Williams.

DeGallier finished 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Jags at the plate, while Ballew went 2-for-4 with one run scored. Carr went 3-for-5 with three runs scored to lead the SLU offense.

USA will return to action this weekend when it hosts Appalachian State in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series 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).