Box scoreMOBILE, Ala. – Randy Bell struck out a career-high seven batters in a career-best eight innings pitched to lead No. 28 University of South Alabama baseball to a 12-3 win over New Orleans Wednesday at Stanky Field.
The right-hander allowed two earned runs on six hits without issuing a walk to earn his first career win at USA. Bell (1-1) retired the first 10 batters he faced in the game before surrendering a one-out single to Aaron Palmer in the top of the fourth inning. UNO right-hander Ryan Leone (1-2) allowed nine runs on six hits with four walks in two innings pitched in the loss.
"I had a good defense behind me and good run support," Bell said. "I just had the mentality that it was a 1-0 game the whole game to get through those later innings. I had command of my fastball, and threw the curveball when I had to to keep them off balance. This was a big win for us."
USA (22-8) jumped out to a six-run lead in the top of the first inning. Billingsley doubled to the right-center gap with one out, and LaBounty followed with a walk. A double steal moved both runners into scoring position with one out, before Danny Martinez drew a walk to load the bases for Carter Perkins, who delivered a two-run single through the right side of the infield that scored Billingsley and LaBounty for a two-run Jaguar lead. A sacrifice fly one batter later by Brendan Donovan plated Martinez and extended the USA lead to 3-0. Ben Gann followed with a three-run home run to center field – his fourth of the season – to push the Jag lead to 6-0.
The Jaguars added three runs to their advantage in the top of the second. Swaggerty singled to lead off the inning, and then stole second ahead of a walk by Billingsley. LaBounty followed with an RBI double to left-center field to score Swaggerty and increase the USA lead to 7-0. Martinez then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Billingsley for an 8-0 Jaguar advantage. Perkins followed with an RBI groundout to shortstop to score LaBounty to extend the USA lead to nine runs.
South Alabama pushed across its 10th run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when LaBounty drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Perkins for a 10-0 advantage. Gann drew a two-out bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth to score LaBounty, who led off the inning with a walk, and extend the USA lead to 11-0.
UNO (18-10) scored its three runs of the game in the top of the seventh on an RBI groundout to second by Chaz Boyer and a two-run single by Jay Robinson to cut the Jag lead to 11-3.
South Alabama answered with its final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Swaggerty singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out RBI single by Martinez.
"When we have had success, our starters have gotten us into the last third of the ballgame," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "Randy Bell did a nice job, and we came out and swung the bats well for him. It was good to see (Ben) Gann swing it well, and (Carter) Perkins continues to drive in runs. I thought our guys responded nicely, and we needed it tonight against a very good team."
Swaggerty tied a career-high in hits, and finished 3-for-6 with a double and two runs scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Perkins finished 1-for-2 with one run scored and a career-high four RBI, and Gann added a home run, one run scored and four RBI. Robinson finished 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead New Orleans offensively.
USA will return to action this weekend when it hosts Arkansas State 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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