Box score
Photo gallery

MOBILE, Ala. – The 23rd-ranked University of South Alabama baseball team used a seven-run eighth inning and a quality start from right-hander Hunter Soleymani to defeat Southern 12-2 Saturday at Stanky Field.

Soleymani (4-1) allowed two runs on three hits with five walks and five strikeouts in seven innings to earn his fourth win of the season. Right-hander Mike Dolloff tossed two scoreless relief innings, and struck out one and issued one walk while allowing one hit to earn his second save of the season. SU left-hander J'Markus George (4-4) allowed five runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and five walks in seven innings in the loss.

"Hunter Soleymani was outstanding again tonight," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "The kid had a fever over 100 degrees and felt like garbage going out there, but you would never know it. He just gutted his way through it. That's why he is who he is, and why he pitches on the weekend. He was phenomenal again tonight for us."

USA (29-11) loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first, but did not score a run. Travis Swaggerty led off the inning with a single to right field – extending his hitting streak to 12 games and his on-base streak to 24 contests – then stole second before advancing to third on a single up the middle by Cole Billingsley to put runners at the corners with no outs. Billingsley stole second to put two runners into scoring position before Drew LaBounty drew a walk to load the bases for Matt Bolger, who reached on a fielder's choice to third that also saw Swaggerty put out at the plate for the first out of the inning. But SU left-hander J'Markus George escaped the inning with a double play when Jared Barnes flew out to left-center field, and Southern center fielder Ashanti Wheatley fired home to cut down Billingsley attempting to score the game's first run.

"I have to give their (Southern) left-hander (George) credit," Calvi said. "We had a chance to blow it open in the first inning, but he made some pitches and we made some mistakes and we didn't score any runs. And then we were down going into the sixth (inning). You could cut the tension in the dugout with a knife, for whatever reason; I don't know why but it happens. It's a long season and you go through ups and downs, both physically and mentally, and you just have to fight through it and our guys fought today."

Southern (12-23) took a one-run lead in the top of the fifth. Phillip Williams led off the inning with a single to center field, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Franky Montesino. Robinson Mateo delivered a two-out RBI single back up the middle later in the inning to plate Williams with the game's first run.

South Alabama answered with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a four-run lead. Swaggerty drew a leadoff walk, and moved to third when Billingsley singled on a bunt back to the pitcher and George's throw to first sailed wide of the bag to allow both runners to advance into scoring position. LaBounty followed with a two-run bunt single down the third base line to score Swaggerty and Billingsley for a 2-1 Jaguar lead. A sacrifice bunt by Matt Bolger moved LaBounty to second with one out before Barnes delivered an RBI double to the right-center gap to plate LaBounty for a 3-1 USA advantage. Adam Wolfe followed with a walk, and Brendan Donovan followed with a two-run double to left field to score Barnes and Wolfe for a 5-1 Jaguar lead. 

Southern responded with a run in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Javeayan Williams to cut the USA lead to 5-2. 

USA then scored the game's final runs as part of a seven-run eighth inning. Adam Wolfe pushed the Jaguar lead back to four runs with a solo home run to left field – his fifth of the season – to lead off the bottom of the inning. Donovan and Gann followed with consecutive walks before Danny Martinez delivered a two-run pinch-hit triple off the right field wall to score Donovan and Gann for an 8-2 USA advantage. Billingsley then singled to right field to score Martinez and extend the Jag lead to 9-2. Jason Cryar delivered a pinch-hit RBI double down the left field line to score Billingsley for a 10-2 lead, and LaBounty scored on a wild pitch one batter later to push the Jaguar lead to 11-2. Dylan Hardy then delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to left-center field to plate Cryar with the game's final run.

Billingsley tied a career high in hits, going 4-for-5 with a double, one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base to lead USA at the plate. Donovan finished 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and one run, and LaBounty added a hit, two RBI and two runs scored. Williams went 2-for-3 to lead Southern offensively.

The series will conclude with the rubber match Sunday at 1 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).