STARKVILLE, Miss. – The University of South Alabama baseball team split a doubleheader Friday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Miss. USA defeated Columbia in game one before falling to Mississippi State in the nightcap.

USA 4, Columbia 1
South Alabama scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to break a 1-1 tie en route to a 4-1 win over Columbia in game one of Friday's doubleheader. 

Brendan Donovan led off the top of the ninth with a single to right field, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jared Barnes. Will Luft reached on a one-out walk, and Drew LaBounty drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Hunter Stokes then worked the count to 3-1 before drawing a walk from Columbia right-hander Harrisen Egly to score Donovan for a 2-1 lead. Travis Swaggerty followed with a two-run single to right field to plate Luft and LaBounty with the game's final runs.  

USA (8-5) jumped out to a one-run lead in the top of the first inning. LaBounty reached on a fielding error by Columbia left fielder Shane Adams to lead off the game, and advanced to second on a one-out walk by Swaggerty. A balk by Lion right-hander Ethan Abrams moved both runners into scoring position with one out. Wells Davis followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to plate LaBounty with the game's first run.

Columbia answered with its lone run in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI single to right field by Kyle Bartelman to tie the game 1-1.

Jaguar right-hander Nick DeSantis (3-0) struck out four in two perfect innings in relief of Randy Bell to earn his third win of the season. Bell struck out nine batters against one walk and allowed one run on six hits in seven innings pitched without factoring in the decision. Egly (0-2) took the loss for the Lions, allowing three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 2 2/3 innings pitched.

Swaggerty went 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Jags at the plate, while Stokes and Davis drove in one run apiece. Bartelman finished 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Columbia offensively.

"I am just happy we won the ballgame," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "We've played so many close games this year; we're familiar with tight ballgames. Today we made some pitches and it was good to win a close ballgame late. We have been on the opposite end of close games a little too much, but our team works hard and can execute in all different situations. When you play close games, it toughens your guys up and forces them to concentrate. It does nothing but help you getting ready for league play. I like the way our guys fought until the end. We got three runs in the ninth (inning), and I was happy to see our guys pull it out."

Mississippi State 2, South Alabama 0
Mississippi State left-hander Konnor Pilkington struck out a career-high 13 batters in 7 2/3 scoreless innings pitched to lead the Bulldogs to a 2-0 win over South Alabama Friday evening at Dudy Noble Field.

Pilkington (2-2) allowed just four hits and issued only one walk against his 13 strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. USA left-hander Thomas Huston (0-1) struck out a career-high six batters against three walks and allowed two runs on six hits in his first career complete game in the loss. Bulldog right-hander Spencer Price struck out one in one inning of relief to earn his third save of the season.

MSU (8-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI groundout to second base off the bat of Brent Rooker.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth and doubled their lead to 2-0 on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Dustin Skelton.

South Alabama (8-6) threatened when it loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the eighth on a one-out walk by Cam Cummings, a two-out single by Luft and two-out walk from Swaggerty. But MSU left-handed reliever Trysten Barlow recorded an inning-ending strikeout of Davis to escape the jam.

Luft, Swaggerty, Davis and Stokes had one hit apiece to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Rooker finished 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI and one run scored to lead the Bulldogs offensively.

USA will return to action Saturday when it faces Mississippi State at 4 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/sports/2013/3/13/Dugout%20Club.aspx?id=21