Box scoreBILOXI, Miss. – Nicholls State scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 5-4 Wednesday at MGM Park.
Nicholls (11-15) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth after Juan Givan reached on a leadoff error by Ryan Raspino at shortstop and consecutive singles by Dylan Manichia and Ethan Valdez. Alex Tucker then grounded to second base with two outs, but Jaguar second baseman Drew LaBounty mishandled the ball and then threw wide of first base to allow the tying- and game-winning runs to score.
Colonel left-hander Zach Thiac (3-1) tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings, and allowed two hits with three strikeouts to earn the win. USA left-hander Shane McKinley (1-1) allowed two unearned runs on three hits with one strikeout in one relief inning in the loss. Jaguar starting pitcher Ryne Long allowed three runs on five hits, and struck out a career-high six batters with one walk without factoring in the decision.
"Ryne Long was great," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "He deserved a much better fate. He competed all night and gave us a chance to win the ballgame. It's too bad that his guys behind him didn't play good enough defense, and that's what it was. Ryne Long did everything he could to help us win this ballgame; you couldn't ask any more of that kid. It's a disappointing loss."
The Colonels scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to cut their deficit to one run. Nicholls loaded the bases with two outs on a one-out double by Valdez and consecutive two-out walks by Kyle Knauth and Alex Shermer. Brandon Harigel then delivered a pinch-hit two-run single to left field to score Valdez and Knauth and cut the Jaguar lead to 4-3.
South Alabama (18-7) pushed the game's first run across in the top of the first. Travis Swaggerty led off the game with a double to left field, and Cole Billingsley followed with a bunt single down the third-base line to put runners at the corners with no outs. Danny Martinez reached on a fielder's choice on a grounder to first base to score Swaggerty for a one-run Jaguar lead.
Nicholls State (11-15) answered with a run to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Shermer reached on a fielding error by Martinez to lead off the inning, and then stole second before moving to third with one out on a throwing error by Long on a failed pickoff attempt at second. Trevor Flynn followed with an RBI groundout to second to tie the game 1-1.
USA responded with a run in the top of the sixth to take a one-run lead. Brendan Donovan drew a one-out walk, and scored one batter later on an RBI double to left-center field by Jared Barnes for a 2-1 Jaguar lead.
The Jaguars added a pair of runs to their lead in the top of the seventh. Swaggerty led off the top of the seventh with a single back up the middle, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Billingsley. Drew LaBounty followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Swaggerty and push the USA advantage to two runs. LaBounty advanced to second on a groundout to second by Martinez, and scored on a two-out RBI single back up the middle by Carter Perkins to push the USA lead to 4-1.
Billingsley went 3-for-4 to lead USA at the plate. Perkins finished 2-for-4 with one RBI, Swaggerty added two hits and two runs scored and Barnes had a double and one RBI. LaBounty recorded one hit, one RBI and one run scored and Martinez drove in one run. Justin Holt went 2-for-4 to lead the Colonels offensively.
South Alabama will return to action this weekend when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Stanky Field, with game one scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Friday.
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).
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