PENSACOLA, Fla. – Seton Hall used a three-run third inning and a quality start from right-hander Zach Prendergast to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 3-2 Sunday in the Cox Diamond Invitational at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Prendergast (2-0) allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk in seven innings pitched to earn his second win of the season. SHU right-hander Ryan Testani tossed one scoreless inning to pick up his first save of the year. Jaguar left-hander Zach Melton allowed three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and five walks in 2 1/3 innings in the loss.

Seton Hall (4-6) loaded the bases in the top of the third on a double and two walks, and scored the game's first run on a bases-loaded walk by Mike Caputo.  Ryan Ramiz followed with a two-run double to right field for a 3-0 Seton Hall advantage.

USA (6-5) answered with its lone runs of the game in the bottom of the eighth. Carter Perkins led off the inning with a walk, and Dylan Hardy followed with a single to left field. Drew LaBounty then delivered an RBI single to center field to score pinch-runner Andrew Cash and cut the SHU lead to 3-1. Paul Russo followed with a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt that scored Hardy from third.

LaBounty went 2-for-4 with one RBI, and Hardy finished 2-for-3 with one run scored to lead USA at the plate. Ramiz went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI to lead SHU offensively.

"(Zach) Melton has really good stuff, he just gave away too many free passes today," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "We just need to pitch and play a little better. We hit some balls hard today; we hit nine or 10 on the screws but didn't have much to show for it. We knew it was going to be a long-scoring ballgame and we couldn't walk guys. I told the coaches before the game with the way the wind was blowing, singles were going to score runs and unfortunately what hurt us today was the free bases. I like our team; we are talented enough to do it. It's early and we have a good enough club, we just need to learn how to win close ballgames."

USA will return to action Tue., March 7, when it travels to Auburn, Ala., for a 3 p.m. contest with Auburn.

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