Box Score

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The 17th-ranked University of South Alabama baseball team recorded 18 hits in its 12-5 win over Kansas State Friday at Pelicans Ballpark.

USA (1-0) used eight unanswered runs through the game's final four frames for a come-from-behind win in its season opener with KSU (0-1).

South Alabama will return to action with a pair of games on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) against Oklahoma at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. The Jags will then square off with Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday afternoon at Pelican Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C. 

GAME FACTS
- USA scored the game's first run in the top of the second on a two-out RBI single off the left field wall by freshman Andrew Bates that scored Wells Davis, who led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield.
- KSU answered in the bottom of the second inning on a one-out, two-run home run to left field by TK McWhertor to take a 2-1 lead. 
- The Jags loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third on a leadoff single to right field by Paul Russo, and consecutive walks by Travis Swaggerty and Brendan Donovan. Davis followed with a walk to plate Russo and tie the score at 2-2. Hunter Stokes delivered a one-out RBI single to left field later in the inning to score Swaggerty for a 3-2 Jaguar advantage. Bates followed with an RBI single to center field to plate Donovan and double the USA lead at 4-2.
- KSU loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third on three straight walks issued by Jaguar left-hander Andy Arguelles. McWhertor then followed with a two-out, two-run single back up the middle of the infield to tie the game at 4-4. Jake Biller then reached on a walk by Jaguar right-hander Zach Greene to load the bases. Will Brennan then drew a walk to force home the third Wildcat run of the frame for a 5-4 lead.
- Michael Sandle, who made his Jaguar debut, doubled to center field to lead off the top of the sixth inning and advanced to third on a single through the left side of the infield by Dylan Hardy to put runners at the corners with no outs. Hardy stole second before Paul Russo delivered a two-run single to center field for a 6-5 USA lead. Travis Swaggerty reached on a single to right field, and scored one batter later on an RBI double off the left field wall by Donovan to push the lead to 7-5. Davis then reached on a ground-rule double to left-center field that scored Donovan and extended the Jag lead to 8-5.
- The Jags increased their lead to 9-5 in the top of the seventh on an RBI single to center field by Sandle that scored Bates, who singled to lead off the inning. Hardy delivered a one-out solo home run to left field later in the inning to double the USA lead at 10-5. USA added two additional runs in the inning on a KSU fielding error and an RBI single by Davis to take a 12-5 lead.

NOTES
- Davis extended his hitting streak to three games dating back to last season.
- Greene, Chase Lambert and JoJo Booker each made their Jaguar debut on the mound.
- Russo hit safely in his second straight game dating back to last season.
- The Jags plated three runs in the top of the third, and four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.
- After KSU took a 5-4 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third, the Jags scored eight unanswered runs.
- Four Jags recorded three hits in the game, led by Davis who went 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and one run scored. Hardy finished 3-for-6 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and one stolen base. Russo finished 3-for-6 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Bates went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one stolen base.
- Greene tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings, and allowed four hits with five strikeouts against three walks to earn the win. KSU right-hander Luke Hauswirth allowed two runs on two hits and issued one walk in one inning pitched in the loss.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the offense:
"Our guys swung the bat really well, but their (Kansas State) starter (Kasey Ford) was a good pitcher. As a freshman, he had right at a 4.00 ERA in 40-plus innings in a good conference. We knew he had a good fastball; he was running it up to 93 or 94 (mph) and it was really heavy. He got us out up (in the zone) early, and I thought we gave away some at-bats early in the game. But our guys settled in and got into their at-bats a little more the second time through. We had chances to score some more runs; we left some men out there early, but when you walk some and get some hits then you are going to leave some guys on base. I was really proud of the way our guys responded from the fourth inning on, especially out of the bullpen.

"Moving forward, I would expect Andy Arguelles to do nothing but get better. He was a little bit shaky, but Zach Greene came in and wasn't great from the start but he settled in nicely and really settled the game down. We got their starter out of there, and our guys just kept adding on and we kept extending from there. A lot of guys had some really good at-bats. We took some walks and some close pitches. We were a little sloppy, too, at times. We chased some balls up; we were a little sloppy during the game and that's something we have to clean up moving forward. But I give their pitcher credit, he was throwing hard and it was around dusk; sometimes it was hard to pick up. We played really good defense, especially in the outfield. Dylan Hardy got five balls hit to him out there, and made a great play on a line drive moving toward the foul line. Michael Sandle and Andrew Bates, the two young guys getting in there – I'm really proud of their efforts. This is a team full of older guys; if it's a lead-by-example thing then the young guys have some pretty good examples to follow in the older guys. But it's just one game, and it's over at midnight. We have a long day tomorrow, but we'll do everything we can to win those two games tomorrow and we'll go from there."

- On Oklahoma:
"Oklahoma's lineup is very solid. They're a Big 12 team, and probably an upper-end Big 12 team this year. We'll have our hands full, but so will they. If we go out there and throw strikes, attack the strike zone and do what we need to do on the mound, I don't see us out of many ballgames; I see us in every single baseball game, and tomorrow should be no different."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action with a pair of games on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) against Oklahoma at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. The Jags will then square off with Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday afternoon at Pelican Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C. 

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.