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MOBILE, Ala. – Drew LaBounty recorded four hits and drove in seven runs to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to an 18-5 win and series sweep over Evansville Sunday at Stanky Field.

LaBounty went 4-for-4 with a home run, seven RBI and three runs scored to lead the Jaguar offense that tallied 16 hits. His four hits and seven RBI were both career highs, while his home run was the first of his career at USA.

South Alabama (3-0) jumped out to a seven-run lead in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by an RBI double by Danny Martinez, an RBI single by Carter Perkins, a two-run single by LaBounty and a three-run home run by Ryan Raspino.

"We came out and swung the bats well again," head coach Mark Calvi said. "I thought we were super aggressive; we did a nice job. We had seven different guys with RBI, and four guys drove in multiple runs so it wasn't just one guy doing damage – it was across the board. We did a good job throwing the first punch today, which is what we talk about. I thought we did a nice job and were ready to play. I'm proud of the guys for that effort."

Evansville (0-3) answered in the top of the second with a three-run home run to left field by Shain Showers to cut the USA lead to 7-3.

Left-hander James Traylor (1-0) came on in relief of starter Austin Bembnowski in the second inning, and retired the first 10 batters he faced. The southpaw allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings to earn the win. 

"James was key in today's victory," Calvi said. "We put up a lot of runs, but he came in and settled the game down. (Austin) Bembnowski's first inning was good, but then things went a little bit south for him. James Traylor did an outstanding job, and we kept swinging the bats for him. It's huge to have him back this year with his leadership. He's a fifth-year senior and has been around the block a lot for us, and it's great to have him back this year and today."

USA added a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Perkins led off the bottom of the inning with a double down the left field line and later scored on a throwing error by UE catcher Boomer Synek on a stolen base by Brendan Donovan for a five-run advantage. LaBounty followed with an RBI single to plate Donovan and push the Jag lead to 9-3.

The Jags pushed their lead to 11-3 in the bottom of the fifth on a one-out, two-run home run to left field by LaBounty, but UE answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on solo home runs by by Synek and Jonathan Ramon to cut the UE deficit to six runs.

USA tacked on five runs in the bottom of sixth on a two-run single by Adam Wolfe, an RBI single from LaBounty and a two-out, two-run single by Cole Billingsley. An RBI triple by Donovan and RBI sacrifice fly from LaBounty accounted for the final runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh.

UE right-hander Brandon Gomer (0-1) allowed seven runs on five hits with one strikeout in one inning in the loss. 

Perkins went 3-for-4 with two doubles, one RBI and three runs scored, Raspino finished 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored and Donovan finished 2-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and three runs scored for the Jaguars. Showers went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored to lead the Purple Aces at the plate.

South Alabama will return to action Tue., Feb. 23, when it hosts Alabama State at 6:30 p.m. 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).