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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team earned a 5-3 series-clinching win over Little Rock Sunday at Stanky Field.

Jaguar right-hander Tyler Carr (4-1) allowed three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 5 2/3 innings in the win. USA right-hander Matt Peacock tossed three scoreless innings, and allowed just two hits with one strikeout and one walk to record his eighth save of the season. Trojan left-hander Chandler Fidel (2-7) allowed four runs on six hits with three strikeouts and five walks in four innings in the loss.

"Tyler has been doing fine, but I challenged him to be better this week," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "I thought he let his guard down at times in some starts, and he and I talked about it. I didn't see that today. I thought Tyler was going at it against a very good offensive team (Little Rock) that is swinging the bats well this weekend. Tyler grabbed another gear and went to another level that he hasn't been at since we first started him. It's about response, and Tyler gave me the response that I was looking for through his actions. When you challenge somebody when you know they have another gear, and then they actually do it is where you gain more respect for the player. I had respect for Tyler; he has worked hard and is a competitor. 

"I have more respect for him after stepping it up another notch with this start. I was proud of his effort. Tyler made some pitches and did a really nice job. We played very good defense behind him. He had some innings in there where he could have bent, but he competed in the strike zone and made good pitches."

Little Rock (17-30, 8-16 SBC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout to shortstop off the bat of Dalton Thomas that scored Cale Ridling who led off the game with a single.

South Alabama (30-18, 17-7 SBC) answered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a two-run lead. Brendan Donovan singled to right field with one out, and moved to second on a walk by Travis Swaggerty. Wells Davis drew a two-out walk to load the bases for Matt Bolger, who delivered a two-run single back up the middle to plate Donovan and Swaggerty for a 2-1 Jaguar lead. Dylan Hardy followed with an RBI single to left-center field to score Davis for a 3-1 advantage. 

The Jags threatened in the bottom of the second, but did not push across a run. Drew LaBounty doubled to left field with one out in the inning before Donovan reached on a hit by pitch. Eddie Paparella drew a two-out walk to load the bases for Davis, but Trojan left-hander Chandler Fidel induced an inning-ending popup into foul territory behind third base to escape the jam.

Little Rock then responded with a run in the top of the third on a two-out RBI single to right field by Riley Pittman that scored Hunter Owens, who led reached on a one-out single then stole second, to cut the Jaguar lead to 3-2.

South Alabama added a run in the bottom of the fourth for a two-run advantage. LaBounty drew a one-out walk and scored one batter later on a single to right field by Donovan, following an error by Trojan right fielder Dalton Thomas, to double the USA lead at 4-2.

The Trojans cut their deficit to one run on consecutive two-out doubles in the top of the sixth. Cameron Knight doubled down the right field line, and scored one batter later on a double to left field by Zach Baker to cut the Jaguar lead to 4-3. 

USA added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Paparella doubled to left field then scored the game's final run on an error by Thomas on a dropped fly ball off the bat of Davis.

Seven Jaguar starters hit safely in the game, led by Bolger who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Hardy added one hit and one RBI, while LaBounty fininshed 2-for-4 with a double and one run scored. Baker went 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI to lead the Trojans offensively.

USA will return to action Tue., May 9, when it travels to Baton Rouge, La., for a 6:30 p.m. contest with LSU.

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