Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Ben Gann delivered a walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 4-3 win over Alabama State Wednesday at Stanky Field.

Gann fell behind in the count to ASU right-hander Darren Kelly before ripping an 0-1 pitch off the left field wall to score Adam Wolfe from second base with the game-winning run. With the score tied 3-3, Tanner Halstead reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning. Wolfe came on to pinch-run, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cole Billingsley. The Hornets elected to intentionally walk Danny Martinez to set up a double play before Kelly entered in relief of Patrick Coffin to pitch to Gann.

"He fooled me on the first one, and I knew once they fool you on the first one then they're going to come back with the same pitch," Gann said. "He (Kellly) just made a mistake, and I had to be ready for it. I'm glad we could win it off of that; that was awesome."

ASU (0-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single to left field by Ray Hernandez.

But USA (4-0) answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a one-run lead. Brendan Donovan reached on a leadoff walk, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Drew LaBounty. A single to left-center field by Ryan Raspino put runners at the corners with one out. A walk by Travis Swaggerty loaded the bases for Jared Barnes, who then reached on fielder's choice when ASU cut Donovan down at the plate to preserve its one-run lead. But Billingsley followed with a two-out RBI single to shortstop to tie the game 1-1. Martinez then drew a bases-loaded walk from ASU starter Hunter McIntosh to give the Jags a 2-1 lead. 

South Alabama then pushed across a run an inning later for a two-run advantage. Donovan reached on a one-out single, and moved to third on a pickoff attempt by ASU right-hander Brandon Caples which sailed wide of first base. LaBounty followed with a sacrifice fly to left-center field to plate Donovan and increase the USA lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

However, ASU answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game. Yamil Pagan delivered an RBI triple to center field to cut the Jaguar lead to 3-2, and later scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 3-3 to eventually force extra innings.

Jaguar right-hander Mike Dolloff (1-0) tossed 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings, and allowed just one hit while striking out two to earn the win. Michael Tellado (0-1) allowed one run without allowing a hit in one inning of relief work for the Hornets in the loss. 

Gann finished 2-for-5 with a double and one RBI while extending his hitting streak to seven games, dating back to last season, to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Billingsley and Martinez each added a hit and an RBI, and LaBounty drove in one run. Pagan went 4-for-5 with a triple, one RBI and two runs scored to lead ASU at the plate.

"We got eight hits against some really good arms," head coach Mark Calvi said. "The guys they (Alabama State) ran out there today are going to help them win some ballgames. That's a very good team, and those coaches do a fantastic job. We had a hard time moving some guys around, getting our leadoff guys on and a hard time getting our guys moving around toward home plate. Offense comes and goes, but you have to pitch and play good defense and we did that tonight."

USA will return to action this weekend when it travels to Athens, Ga., for the Bulldog Invitational, hosted by Georgia. The Jags will face Georgia at 4 p.m. (CT) Friday to open the tournament, followed by Western Kentucky on Saturday and Cincinnati on Sunday.

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).