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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team defeated Alabama A&M 11-1 Wednesday at Stanky Field.

USA right-hander Jason Lott (1-0) allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts in five innings pitched to earn the win in his first career start. AAMU right-hander Blaine Milan (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits with one walk in two innings pitched in the loss.

USA (4-0) pushed across the game's first runs in the bottom of the third. Paul Russo led off the inning with a single to left field, and moved to second on walk by Travis Swaggerty. Will Luft followed with an RBI double to right field to score Russo with the game's first run. Eddie Paparella then delivered a two-run single to left-center field to extend the Jaguar lead to 3-0. Cam Cummings followed with a one-out RBI single to left-center to score Paparella for a 4-0 USA advantage.

Alabama A&M (2-3) answered with a run in the top of the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single to left field by Carson McGregory to cut the USA lead to 4-1.

South Alabama added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. An RBI groundout to first base by Cummings plated Luft, who led off the inning with a walk, for a 5-1 advantage. A two-out pinch-hit RBI single back up the middle by Colton Thomas pushed the Jaguar lead to 6-1. 

A one-out RBI single to right field by Wells Davis in the bottom of the sixth extend the USA advantage to 7-1, and a pair of two-out RBI doubles by Drew LaBounty and Russo and a two-run home run to right-center field by Travis Swaggerty in the bottom of the seventh inning pushed the Jag lead to 11-1.

Paparella went 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Swaggerty finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases and Luft went 2-for-4 with one double, one triple, one RBI and two runs scored. McGregory finished 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI to lead the Bulldogs offensively.

"The good thing is that we're 4-0," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "I thought (Jason) Lott was okay in his first start; I have seen him much better in the fall. But all-in-all we only walked one guy and they (Alabama A&M) only scored one run so you take it. We did some things in there which we will correct. Offensively we gave some at-bats away, but we'll fix that moving forward. We'll take a win. I am happy that our guys responded. No game is easy, you just have to play the right way and hopefully things go your way."

USA will return to action this weekend when it travels to Waco, Texas, for a three-game series with Baylor.

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.