Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of South Alabama baseball team recorded 10 extra-base hits in a 19-6 win over Georgia Southern Saturday at J.I. Clements Stadium.

Eight Jaguar starters recorded at least one hit in the game, led by Jared Barnes who went 3-for-5 with two doubles, one home run, three RBI and one run scored. Will Luft added three hits, including two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored. Brendan Donovan and Wells Davis also homered in the game.

USA left-hander Thomas Huston (1-1) allowed four earned runs on nine hits with a career-high seven strikeouts against two walks in 6 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the season. Eagle right-hander Brian Eichhorn (1-2) allowed seven runs on eight hits with one strikeout and one walk in 3 1/3 innings in the loss. 

Donovan doubled to the left-center field gap with one out in the top of the first, and moved to third on a fielding error by Eagle center fielder Logan Baldwin as he attempted to retrieve the ball. But Eichhorn recorded the second out of the inning on a groundout back to the mound off the bat of Travis Swaggerty, and induced an inning-ending popup to third by Wells Davis to escape the frame without allowing a run to cross.

The Eagles jumped out to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first inning. Georgia Southern put the first two runners on base to start the inning on a leadoff walk by Steven Curry and a single through the left side of the infield by Mitchell Golden. Ryan Cleveland followed with a walk to load the bases with no outs. Huston recorded the first out of the inning on a popup into foul territory near third base by Mason McWhorter. Tyler Martin then reached on an error on a grounder to shortstop that scored Curry from third with the game's first run. Jordan Wren then reached on a hit by pitch to force home the second Eagle run for a 2-0 advantage. 

USA (10-9, 1-1 SBC) answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Carter Perkins singled to left-center field with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch from Eichhorn. Will Luft followed with an RBI single to right-center field to score Perkins and cut the Eagle lead in half at 2-1. Jared Barnes then doubled to right-center field to put two runners in scoring positon with one out. South Alabama tied the game one batter later on a passed ball charged to Eagle catcher Jacob Greene following a strikeout of Hunter Stokes.

Ryan Cleveland led off the bottom of the third with a double off the center field wall, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. But Huston responded with three consecutive strikeouts to escape the inning and preserve the 2-2 tie.

South Alabama then broke the tie with nine runs in the top of the fourth. Luft led off the inning with a double to left field, and scored two batters later on an infield single to shortstop by Stokes following a throwing error by Eagle shortstop Evan McDonald to first for a 3-2 Jaguar lead. Dylan Hardy then delivered an RBI single to center field to score Stokes and double the USA lead to 4-2. Hardy stole second with one out then moved to third on a wild pitch from Eichhorn following a walk to Donovan. Swaggerty followed with a two-run double down the left field line to score Hardy and Donovan for a 6-2 Jaguar advantage. Davis and Eddie Paparella drew consecutive one-out walks to load the bases for Perkins. A passed ball charged to Greene scored Swaggerty to extend the USA lead to 7-2. Perkins then reached on an error by Eagle reliever Zach Cowart that allowed Davis to score and push the Jag advantage to 8-2. Luft followed with an RBI groundout to first base for a 9-2 lead. Barnes then delivered a two-run home run to left field to push the USA lead to 11-2. 

Donovan extended the Jaguar advantage to 13-2 with a two-run home run to right field, his second of the season, in the top of the fifth inning. 

The Jaguars added to their lead one inning later when Perkins led off the top of the sixth with a single to left field, and scored on an RBI double down the left field line by Luft for a 14-2 lead. Barnes followed with an RBI double down the left field line to extend the USA lead to 15-2.

The Eagles pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single from C.J. Brazil to cut the USA lead to 15-3.

USA answered in the top of the seventh on a leadoff solo home run to right field by Wells Davis, his third of the year, for a 16-3 lead. 

Georgia Southern (10-8, 1-1 SBC) added its final three runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh on a three-run home run to right-center field by Wren.

The Jags added the game's final runs in the top of the eighth on a two-out RBI double to right-center field by Cam Cummings and a two-run single to center field by Perkins.

"Thomas Huston gave us a chance," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "They (Georgia Southern) dropped two runs on us in the first inning – it wasn't looking good. Georgia Southern can really swing the bats. But Thomas Huston being the competitor that he is threw up a bunch of zeros after that. Our guys competed really well in the box and in the field; I was really proud of our guys' effort tonight after a tough loss last night, and after some tough losses the last two weeks. I think our guys became more of a team the last two games, no question about it. The energy was a lot better – it just seemed like they jelled as a team a little more the last 48 to 72 hours. We will need that moving forward, especially tomorrow. 

"I was extremely proud of the way our hitters got in there and swung the bats. Our guys had some two-strike hits; Dylan Hardy had a two-strike RBI after he battled his behind off and shot a ball up the middle. (Brendan) Donovan stepped up there with a big home run, Will Luft had a clutch RBI early in the game – there were guys really competing in the box when the game was back and forth. This is probably the best I have seen guys compete in the batter's box up and down the lineup tonight all year. I was proud of their effort. You have players who look at you and hear you, and you have you players who look at you and are listening; our guys look at us and they listen. They did a very good job of putting some adjustments together, adjusting some mindset and approaches in the box the last two weeks. This was the culmination of it. But tonight's over and we have to get ready for a very good pitcher and team tomorrow."

The series will conclude with the rubber match Sunday at noon (CT), and will be broadcast by ESPN3 and available on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.

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/dugoutclub