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MOBILE, Ala. – Little Rock used a six-run third inning in an 11-5 win over the University of South Alabama baseball team Saturday at Stanky Field.

The Trojans scored their 11 runs on 14 hits, led by Dalton Thomas who went 3-for-4 with a double, one home run, four RBI and three runs scored.

South Alabama (29-18, 16-7 SBC) jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the first inning on a one-out solo home run to right field by Colton Thomas on a 2-1 pitch from Trojan right-hander Cory Malcom.

Little Rock (17-29, 8-15 SBC) answered with a run in the top of the second to tie the game. Dalton Thomas reached on a two-base throwing error by Thomas Huston on a bunt back to the mound to lead off the inning, and moved to third on a single through the right side of the infield by Cameron Knight. The Trojans tied the game at 1-1 later in the frame on a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield by Kale Emshoff.

The Trojans pushed six runs across in the top of the third for a four-run advantage. Little Rock took a 2-1 lead on a one-out RBI single to center field by Riley Pittman, and  Thomas followed with a three-run home run to left field to extend the lead to 5-1. Christian Reyes delivered a two-run single later in the inning for a 7-1 Trojan lead.

USA answered with a run in the bottom of the third on a two-out RBI single to left-center field by Travis Swaggerty that scored Will Luft, who led off the inning with a single to center field, to cut the Little Rock lead to 7-2.

But the Trojans answered a half-inning later when Pittman led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run to right field to push the Trojan lead to 8-2.

Little Rock added to its lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to left field by Hunter Owens for a 9-2 advantage. 

USA responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth on a leadoff solo home run to center field by Travis Swaggerty, and a two-out, two-run home run to left-center field by Jared Barnes to cut the Trojan lead to 9-5. 

Little Rock doubled its lead to 10-5 in the top of the eighth on a two-out RBI double off the right field wall by Thomas, and pushed across the game's final run later in the inning on an RBI single to center field by Knight.

Swaggerty went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored, and Barnes finished 2-for-4 with a double, one home run, two RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate.

Malcom (3-5) allowed five runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in six innings pitched to earn the win. Jaguar left-hander Thomas Huston (5-3) allowed six earned runs on six hits with one strikeout and a pair of walks in 2 1/3 innings in the loss.

"The errors didn't cost us the game, but they certainly can," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "I'm glad they didn't cost us this game – that would really bother me. We got outplayed today; we got outpitched and outhit. They got hits when they mattered, and they made plays and pitches when they mattered and we didn't today. We weren't good enough on offense, defense or on the mound. We need to be better tomorrow to change the outcome. Little Rock is a good club. Their numbers are deceiving; they have good players. We need to be ready to go tomorrow and be a much better version of ourselves than we were today."

The series will conclude with the rubber match at 1 p.m. Sunday 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