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SAN MARCOS, Texas – Randy Bell tossed a complete-game shutout to lead the No. 2 seed University of South Alabama baseball team to a 3-0 win over No. 7 seed Texas-Arlington Friday in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Bobcat Ballpark.

Bell (6-1) retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced in the game after issuing two walks through the first four frames, and did not allow a hit until a one-out single by Darien McLemore in the bottom of the fifth. Bell also used the help of the Jaguar defense, which turned three double plays behind him. 

"The defense was really big," Bell said. "I have relied on that all year. The defense made some great plays, and I can't give them enough credit for the plays they made behind me. They got me out of some jams there with inning-ending double plays and just some great catches. It's really great to have a defense like that behind me. I just wanted to put my team in the best position to win today and save as many arms as we could for the rest of the tournament."

Bell allowed just three hits over nine innings, and recorded a pair of strikeouts while issuing three walks to earn his sixth win of the season. UTA (30-28) right-hander Matt Michalski (1-5) allowed two runs on three hits with one strikeout and two walks in the loss.

USA (40-19) spotted Bell a one-run in the top of the first inning. Drew LaBounty drew a walk to lead off the game, and Cole Billingsley followed with a single through the left side of the infield. A bunt single to third by Travis Swaggerty loaded the bases with no outs. Danny Martinez then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, which allowed LaBounty to score the game's first run.

"That was big time to go out there and pitch with a lead," Bell said of the Jags' first-inning run. "I pitched the whole game with a one-run lead; that was my mentality. I had fastball command to both sides of the plate, and I just mixed the curveball in there to keep them (UTA) off balance. I was really just trying to break up their rhythm and locate with the fastball."

South Alabama added a run in the top of the second to double its lead. Brendan Donovan drew a walk to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third with no outs on a throwing error by UTA catcher Brady Cox. An RBI groundout by Jared Barnes scored Donovan for a 2-0 Jaguar advantage. 

The Jags scored the game's final run in the top of the fourth. Barnes reached on a walk to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Bolger. He then stole third with two outs and scored on the play on a throwing error by Cox to extend the USA lead to 3-0.

"Randy Bell was outstanding today," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "He trusted his teammates, we played great defense behind him and were opportunistic on offense. We got some guys on and moved some guys around, and stole a bag or two where a single could score a run. Teams change as the season goes along, for better or for worse, and sometimes it's neither – it's just who you are and you have to do certain things to win ballgames and ours is pitch and really play defense at this moment which we have done all year long. We live to play another day, and that is all you can ask for."

Swaggerty went 2-for-3 to lead the Jaguars at the plate, while Billingsley, Donovan, Bolger and Ben Gann added one hit apiece. Barnes finished with one RBI and one run scored.

"It was really big to get (Travis) Swaggerty back today," Calvi said. "He plays a great outfield, and probably has the best arm in the league from the outfield. He has done some things this year that have made me scratch my head in a good way, and that goes for a bunch of our other freshmen who have played a good bit. They have played above their years. I think it was really big for the team to get him back. Swaggerty gives you great at-bats, has some power and can run. He is a great defender, and he lengthens the lineup for us. It was a big shot in the arm to get Travis back in there today."

South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it faces No. 6 seed Georgia Southern at 9 a.m. in the SBC Tournament at Bobcat Ballpark.

"The formula for success for us, and it always will be in this game, is pitching and defense," Calvi said. "It starts and stops on that mound, and with those kids on the infield, in the outfield and behind the plate. It will be no different tomorrow. We have a lot of respect for Georgia Southern. They are playing really good baseball, and they have played well down the stretch. They have played well on the road, they are hard-nosed and coached well. It should be a good ballgame tomorrow. If we go out and pitch well and play good defense, it should be a tight ballgame because they have some good arms and good athletes. Both teams have played really well, and we're excited about the opportunity to play Georgia Southern tomorrow as I know Coach (Rodney) Hennon and his group are excited to play us tomorrow."

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).