Box score

STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of South Alabama baseball team scored multiple runs in four different innings to defeat Georgia Southern 11-4 and complete a three-game sweep of the Eagles.

USA (32-17, 17-7 SBC) recorded 13 hits in the game, led by Cole Billingsley who went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base. Bud Collura finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Ryan Raspino added a career-high three hits and three runs scored, and Adam Ballew and Matt Bolger had one hit and two RBI apiece.

South Alabama jumped out to an early three-run lead in the top of the first inning. Billingsley reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the game, and advanced to second on a single to right-center field by Ben Gann. Collura followed with an RBI single back up the middle to score Billingsley for a 1-0 USA lead. Ballew advanced both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt for the first out of the frame. A balk by Eagle left-hander Connor Simmons scored Gann and doubled the Jaguar lead. Bolger followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Collura and extend the South Alabama lead to 3-0.

Georgia Southern (27-21, 16-11 SBC) answered with its first run of the game in the bottom of the third. The Eagles put the first two batters on base on a leadoff single from Cody Lanford and a walk by USA starter Jared Gates to Cal Baker. Gates induced a popup into foul territory at third off the bat of Kent Rollins on a sacrifice bunt attempt for the first out of the inning. Lanford advanced to third on a wild pitch to put runners at the corners with one out before Kody Adams singled back up the middle to plate Lanford and cut the Jaguar lead to 3-1.

Gates issued a leadoff walk to Hunter Thomas to start the bottom of the fourth, and Dalton Busby followed with a single to right field. Baker delivered a two-out RBI single to left field later in the inning to score Thomas and cut the USA lead to one run.

USA loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth on singles from Raspino, Billingsley and Collura, and extended its lead to 5-2 on a two-run single to right field by Ballew. Bolger then delivered an RBI single to center field to push the Jag lead to four runs.

A pair of walks issued by USA right-hander Cody Van Aken resulted in two GSU runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, two-run double to left field by Busby to cut the Eagle deficit to two runs. Consecutive walks issued by southpaw Shane McKinley loaded the bases for GSU later in the inning. Ben Taylor entered in relief and worked the Jags out of the jam with an inning-ending strikeout of Baker.

Garrett DeGallier reached on a one-out walk, and moved to third on a single to left field by Raspino to set up runners at the corners in the top of the sixth. Billingsley followed with a one-out double off the right field wall to plate DeGallier and give the Jags a 7-4 lead. A wild pitch allowed Raspino to score for a 8-4 USA lead. Gann then singled back up the middle to score Billingsley for a 9-4 Jag advantage.

Raspino reached on a one-out single to left field in the top of the eighth, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Billingsley followed with an RBI single to right field to push the USA lead to 10-4, stole second and moved to third on a deep flyout to right field by Gann before scoring on a wild pitch with the final run of the game.

Van Aken (3-1) allowed two runs on two hits with a strikeout and a pair of walks in one relief inning to earn the win. Taylor struck out six and allowed one hit in a season-high 4 1/3 innings pitched to earn his seventh save of the year.

The win extended South Alabama's Sun Belt Conference winning streak to seven games, and marked its second straight sweep of a league opponent after taking three games from Georgia State last weekend at Stanky Field.

"It was a huge to come on the road and get three wins against a good Georgia Southern team," head coach Mark Calvi said. "Our guys played fantastic. We pitched well when we needed to – there were a few too many walks – and our guys just played well together. We played very good defense and got some timely hits. Our kids just played hard. They enjoy playing together, and they feed off of each other. They did a really nice job this weekend. I couldn't be more proud of this group."

USA will return to action next weekend when it travels to Lafayette, La., for a three-game SBC series with Louisiana-Lafayette.

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).