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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Texas State 7-5 and secure a three-game series sweep Sunday at Stanky Field.

The score was knotted at 5-5 after 7 1/2 innings after the Bobcats pushed across the game-tying run in the top of the seventh when Derek Scheible reached on a bases-loaded hit by pitch. 

But Jaguar first baseman Wells Davis doubled to right field to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning and scored on a one-out RBI double to left field by Drew LaBounty for a 6-5 advantage. Jared Barnes followed with an RBI single to left-center field to plate LaBounty with the game's final run. 

"We had two hits going into the last couple of innings, but we had six walks and a hit by pitch," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "(Paul) Russo came up with a big two-run home run to put us up 2-1, and then it was back and forth. Wells led us off with a good at-bat in the eighth, and (Drew) LaBounty and (Jared) Barnes had big RBI at the end that gave us a little bit of breathing room. I am proud of the guys for the way they battled. When you face us, it's never over; you have to get 27 outs. Our guys know that we play all 27, and that's what we did today. I was proud of our guys' effort not only today but all weekend."

Texas State (22-23, 9-12 SBC) pushed across the game's first run in the top of the third on a two-out RBI single to right field by Jaylen Hubbard for a 1-0 advantage.

USA answered in the bottom of the fourth to take a one-run lead. Wells Davis singled back up the middle to lead off the inning before Paul Russo hit a 3-1 pitch from Bobcat right-hander Cam Baird over the right field wall for a two-run home run – the first of his Jaguar career – for a 2-1 USA lead. 

South Alabama (28-17, 15-6 SBC) added three runs to its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dylan Hardy drew a leadoff walk, and moved to second on a hit by pitch to Colton Thomas. Brendan Donovan reached on a fielding error by Bobcat second baseman Jonathan Ortega that allowed Hardy to score for a 3-1 advantage. Donovan then stole second before a pair of Bobcat errors by catcher Felipe Rodriguez and left fielder Jacob Almendarez allowed both Thomas and Donovan to score on the play for a 5-1 lead. 

Texas State responded with three runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout to shortstop by Ortega and a two-out, two-run home run to right-center field by Ryan Newman to cut the Jaguar lead to 5-4 before tying the game an inning later in the seventh.

Jaguar right-hander Matt Peacock (2-2) tossed three scoreless relief innings, and allowed just three hits with two strikeouts and one walk to earn the win. Bobcat right-hander Joe Powell (1-2) allowed three runs on two hits with two walks in 3 1/3 innings in the loss. Jaguar right-hander Tyler Carr allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 5 2/3 innings without factoring in the decision.

"I thought Tyler (Carr) was good in spurts," Calvi said. "It seems like in every one of his starts that he will let his guard down a little bit. If he can clean that up and stay locked in for his whole start, I will feel better about it. He has good enough stuff. He is a competitor and he has won some games for us. I like our winning percentage when he takes the ball, I just think he can go deeper and be more dominant in games. That's what I would like him to be, because he is good enough. I'm not going to ask him to be anything that he's not, I just think he's better than what he has done and I think Tyler would tell you that as well. We have a lot of faith in him and we win when he takes the mound. I would like to see him go a little bit deeper, but I am happy with the result."

USA will return to action Fri., May 5, when it hosts Little Rock in the first of a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Stanky Field.

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