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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team used an eight-run sixth inning and career performance from left-hander Thomas Huston for a series-clinching 16-6 win over Georgia State Saturday at Stanky Field.

Huston (2-1) struck out a career-high eight batters without issuing a walk, and allowed four runs on eight hits to earn his second win of the season. GSU right-hander Hunter Gaddis (3-1) allowed eight runs on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks in four innings pitched in the loss.

"Thomas (Huston) was really good," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "He didn't walk anybody and got most of his leadoff outs. It's hard to score when you only have two outs to score and you need two-out hits. That's what he has forced teams to do, and that's try to get a couple of hits after the first out. He makes you earn it. He was really good today, and we played good defense behind him."

South Alabama jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning. Consecutive two-out singles by Travis Swaggerty and Eddie Paparella put runners at the corners with two outs. Wells Davis followed with a three-run home run to left field, his fourth of the season, for a 3-0 Jaguar lead. 

USA added five runs in the bottom of the second for an eight-run advantage.  Jared Barnes drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second, and advanced to second on a walk by Hunter Stokes. A sacrifice bunt by Dylan Hardy moved both runners into scoring position with one out. Drew LaBounty drew a walk to load the bases for Brendan Donovan, who reached on a walk to force home Stokes and extend the Jaguar lead to 4-0. Swaggerty followed with a grand slam to left field, his fourth home run of the year, to push the USA lead to 8-0.

Georgia State answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning on a one-out, two-run single to left field by Jarrett Hood to cut the Jaguar lead to 8-2. 

South Alabama responded with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth after sending 12 batters to the plate in the inning. The Jags loaded the bases with no outs on a leadoff single by Donovan, a fielder's choice off the bat of Swaggerty and a walk from Paparella. Swaggerty scored on a wild pitch from Panther right-hander Bryan White later in the inning for a 9-2 USA lead. Will Luft drew a walk to load the bases with one out before Jared Barnes delivered a two-run single through the left side of the infield to extend the Jaguar advantage to 11-2. Carter Perkins followed with a two-run double down the right field line for a 13-2 lead. LaBounty then delivered a two-run double down the left field line to push the USA advantage to 15-2. Donovan followed with an RBI single back up the middle to plate LaBounty for a 16-2 lead.

The Panthers answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh on a two-out, two-run single to right-center field by Justin Jones to cut the USA lead to 16-4. Georgia State added the final runs of the game in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run double to right-center field by Payton Mann.

Swaggerty went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Donovan finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored, and Davis added a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. 

"Wells (Davis) had the big three-run home run, and (Travis) Swaggerty got in to one, but it's really our guys who are willing to take close 2-1 pitches and get the count to 3-1," Calvi said. "We don't give away many at-bats. It seemed like in the middle innings that we gave some at-bats away, but when the moments have really mattered our guys have really been locked in at the plate. I was proud of the guys up and down the lineup."

USA will go for the series sweep in game three Sunday at 1 p.m.

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