Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Logan Baldwin's sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning lifted Georgia Southern to a 4-3 series-opening win over the 22nd-ranked University of South Alabama baseball team Friday at Stanky Field. 

CJ Ballard reached on a leadoff single in the top of the 10th, and moved to second on the play when Jaguar second baseman Adam Wolfe's throw sailed wide of first base. A sacrifice bunt by Evan McDonald moved Ballard to third with one out. Baldwin then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field on a 2-2 pitch from USA left-hander Shane McKinley to score Ballard with the game-winning run. 

Georgia Southern (28-18, 13-12 SBC) scored the game's first run in the top of the fifth. Cal Baker drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kent Rollins and advanced to third on a groundout to third by CJ Brazil before scoring on a wild pitch from Hill with two outs for a 1-0 Eagle lead.

USA (35-13, 18-4 SBC) answered with a pair of runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth to take a one-run lead. Barnes led off the inning with a single through the left side of the infield, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Gann. Danny Martinez followed with an RBI single to right field to score Barnes from second and tie the game at 1-1. Consecutive singles by Adam Wolfe and Travis Swaggerty loaded the bases with one out before a sacrifice fly to right-center field by Cole Billingsley scored Martinez for a 2-1 Jaguar lead.

The Eagles responded with two runs in the top of the seventh to take a one-run lead. Jordan Wren reached on a hit by pitch from Jaguar right-hander Kevin Hill to lead off the top of the seventh, and Hunter Thomas followed with a single to right field – the Eagle's first hit of the game – to put runners at the corners with no outs. Baker then delivered an RBI bunt single on a safety squeeze to score Wren and tie the game 2-2. CJ Ballard followed with a single down the third base line in front of home plate to score Thomas for a 3-2 advantage.

South Alabama rallied for its final run of the contest in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. Carter Perkins led off the inning with a single to right-center field, and was lifted for pinch-runner Dylan Hardy who then stole second. Hardy stole third with one out before Brendan Donovan delivered a pinch-hit RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Hardy and tie the game 3-3. 

Eagle right-hander Landon Hughes (3-2) struck out three and issued one walk while allowing one run on three hits in two innings to earn the win. Jaguar right-hander Mike Dolloff (2-4) allowed one run on one hit in one-third of an inning in the loss. 

"Our guys fought until the end, it just didn't go our way tonight," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "Kevin (Hill) pitched well enough to win. We had our chances to win; we had several chances to get the job done and we didn't get it done. But our kids played hard and fought until the end – it didn't go our way tonight. I give Georgia Southern credit; they played hard and won on Friday night on the road. We didn't do anything to really give them this game. They scored one more than we did and won the game."

USA right-hander Kevin Hill (8-1) tossed nine innings and allowed three runs on five hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts without factoring in the decision. He passed former Jaguar All-American Jon Lieber (298) for fourth on the career strikeouts list and also recorded his 300th career strikeout in the game. 

Martinez went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate, and Donovan added one hit and one RBI. Ballard finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored to lead the Eagles offensively.

The series will continue with game two Saturday at 6:30 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).