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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team broke a school single-game record for runs scored during its doubleheader sweep of Eastern Illinois Saturday at Stanky Field.

Three USA (2-0) hurlers combined for a one-hit shutout in USA's 32-0 game-two win in Saturday's twinbill to earn the sweep following an 8-2 win in game one. The Jaguars' 32 runs broke the 2013 squad's previous record of runs scored (29 vs. New Orleans) in a game.

USA will go for the series sweep in Sunday's series finale, which is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Stanky Field.

Game 1 – South Alabama 8, Eastern Illinois 2
USA used a seven-run seventh inning to defeat EIU 8-2 in the 2017 season opener in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.

EIU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a one-out, two-run home run to left-center field by Frankie Perrone.

USA threatened in the bottom of the fourth, but did not push across a run. Brendan Donovan led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a groundout to second by Carter Perkins and moved to third on a bunt single to second by Jared Barnes. A one-out walk by Wells Davis loaded the bases, but EIU right-hander Michael McCormick escaped the jam with a popout into shallow right field off the bat of Adam Wolfe and a fielder's choice by Dylan Hardy that provided the inning-ending out at second base. 

South Alabama eventually answered with seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a five-run lead. Drew LaBounty reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning, and moved to third on a single to left-center field by Paul Russo. A walk by Travis Swaggerty loaded the bases before a passed ball charged to EIU catcher Josh Turnock allowed LaBounty to score and cut the Panther lead to 2-1. Donovan followed with a walk to load the bases for Perkins, who delivered an RBI single to left field to score Russo and tie the game 2-2. Barnes then drew a walk to force home Swaggerty for a 3-2 Jaguar lead. Davis followed with a grand slam off the left field foul pole to extend the USA lead to 7-2. 

The Jags added the game's final run in the bottom of the eighth on a RBI triple to right field by Travis Swaggerty.

USA right-hander Alex Adair (1-0) tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed only three hits with four strikeouts to earn the win. EIU right-hander Brent Stephens allowed four runs on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks in two-thirds of an inning in the loss.

Davis went 2-for- 3 with a home run – the first of his Jaguar career – four RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguar offense. Swaggerty finished 2-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and one run scored while Perkins and Barnes added one hit, one RBI and one run scored each. Perrone went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and one run scored to lead the Panthers at the plate. 

"Their starter was really good," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "He was 90-92 (mph) with some sink. We had some opportunities. We left some men on base, but our guys just hung in there. I give (Michael) McCormick all the credit in the world; he did what he had to do. I thought Randy Bell was pretty good. They (EIU) swung the bats well. I thought Randy did enough – it was 2-0 for a big part for the ball game. He kept it right there and made his pitches. And (Alex) Adair was really good for us.

"Eastern Illinois gets up there to hit; they're trying to do damage when they swing the bat. You can see that they are a well-coached bunch. They fielded it cleanly – I give them a lot of credit. I'm impressed with their players."


Game 2 – South Alabama 32, Eastern Illinois 0
USA scored a school-record 32 runs, and three Jaguar hurlers combined for a one-hit shutout to complete the doubleheader sweep. Jaguar left-hander Zach Melton tossed six no-hit innings and struck out nine with one walk to earn the win. 

Left-hander Andy Arguelles struck out three and allowed one hit in two innings pitched, and Tyler Perez tossed one perfect inning in his debut.

USA jumped out to an eight-run lead in the bottom of the first on a one-out, two-run single to right field by Davis, a one-out, two-run single to center field by Eddie Paparella, a two-run single to center field by Will Luft and a two-run double to left field by LaBounty. 

The Jags added another run in the bottom of the second. Cam Cummings doubled to left-center field to lead off the inning, and scored one batter later on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Paparella for a 9-0 advantage.

South Alabama pushed its lead to 10-0 on an RBI double to right field by Perkins in the bottom of the fourth, and added its 11th run of the contest when Cummings drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth. Paparella delivered a grand slam over the left field wall later in the inning to extend the Jaguar lead to 15-0.

USA added six additional runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out, two-run single by Perkins, a two-run single by Colton Thomas and RBI singles by Cummings and Paparella for an 21-0 advantage. 

A two-run single by Hunter Stokes, RBI double to center field by Cummings and RBI triple to right field by Paparella in the bottom of the seventh highlighted a six-run Jaguar seventh inning.

Luft capped a five-run Jaguar eighth inning with a grand slam to left field for the final runs of the game.

Paparella tied former Jaguar Alex Pastore's single-game RBI record with nine. Paparella finished 5-for-5 with one triple, one home run, nine RBI and four runs scored. Pastore's nine-RBI performance came in 1973 against Auburn.

Luft finished 4-for-6 with a home run, six RBI and three runs scored, while Perkins and Cummings added three hits and three RBI each. Cummings also scored a school-record six runs in the game, which broke the previous record of five which was shared by Tyler Jones (2005), Dewayne Jones (1988) and Luis Gonzalez (1986).

"What can you say about Melton," Calvi said. "He was fantastic tonight. And we got into a rhythm and started swinging the bats, and it was good to see. That was arguably their number-one, and we swung the bats pretty well. I'm excited for the kids; they never let up. They knew it was a long day, but everyone went hard. We were fortunate enough to get a lot of guys in there. We're going to have to keep guys fresh, but I am proud of the way they approached the whole day."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club - the baseball-specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit JaguarAthleticFund.com.