Box Score (PDF)

MOBILE, Ala. – Right-hander Tyler Carr turned in a quality start to help lead the No. 17 University of South Alabama baseball team to a 17-1 win over Hartford Friday at Stanky Field.

Carr (1-0) allowed one unearned run on six hits with four strikeouts against one walk in six innings pitched to earn his first win of the season. South Alabama (5-1) scored 17 runs on 11 hits in the game to earn their second straight win at Stanky Field.

South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it concludes its three-game series against Hartford with a doubleheader, beginning with game two of the series at 2 p.m. at Stanky Field.

GAME FACTS
- Hartford (0-1) put runners at the corners with one out in the top of the first. Ashton Bardzell reached on a two-base fielding error on a grounder to third, and advanced to third on an infield single by Chris Sullivan. A wild pitch by Jaguar right-hander Tyler Carr allowed Bardzell to score from third for a 1-0 Hartford lead. 
- USA answered with two outs in the bottom of the first when Travis Swaggerty lifted a 1-1 pitch over the left-center field wall to tie the game at 1-1. 
- The Jags loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second on consecutive singles by Wells Davis and Carter Perkins, and a walk by Hunter Stokes. Andrew Bates followed with an RBI groundout to second that scored Davis for a 2-1 USA lead. Michael Sandle then delivered a two-run single back up the middle of the infield to score Perkins and Stokes for a 4-1 advantage. Hardy followed with a walk, and Sandle advanced to third on the play after a wild pitch to put runners at the corners with one out. Paul Russo then reached on a fielder's choice on a grounder to second that scored Sandle for a 5-1 lead. 
- Hartford looked to score its second run of the game in the top of the fourth when Drew Holtgrieve singled to right field with two outs, but Jaguar right fielder Andrew Bates fired to Carter Perkins at the plate to cut down Jackson Olson attempting to score for the final out of the inning. 
- Stokes and Bates each reached on a walk to start the bottom of the fourth. Sandle followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Stokes for a 6-1 Jaguar lead. Sandle then stole second, and Bates scored on the throw down to second for a 7-1 advantage. Dylan Hardy followed with an RBI single to right field to plate Sandle for an 8-1 Jag lead. 
- Swaggerty led off the bottom of the seventh with a hit by pitch, and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Wells Davis drew a one-out walk to put runners at the corners. Perkins drew a walk to load the bases for pinch-hitter Will Luft, who delivered a two-run single back up the middle of the infield to plate Swaggerty and Davis for a 10-1 Jaguar lead. 
- Hardy added to the Jaguar lead in the bottom of the eighth when he scored on a wild pitch for an 11-1 advantage. USA loaded the bases later in the inning on a double by Russo, and walks by Swaggerty and Deyvid Silva. Davis followed with walk to score Russo for a 12-1 lead. Felix Aberouette then reached on a hit by pitch to score Perez for a 13-1 lead. Will Luft followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Silva and extend the lead to 14-1. Bates then drew a walk to load the bases with one out for Sandle, who lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Davis for a 15-1 advantage. Hardy followed with an RBI single back up the middle of the infield to score Aberouette for a 16-1 lead. Perez then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Bates with the game's final run. 

NOTES
- Sandle recorded career highs in hits and RBIs, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, RBIs and one stolen base.
- Hardy went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, one run scored and one stolen base, Will Luft finished with one hit and three RBIs, and Swaggerty homered, drove in one run and scored twice.
- Davis singled, walked three times, drove in one run and scored three runs.
- Right-handed pitcher Tyler Perez pinch-ran for Swaggerty in the bottom of the eighth inning, and recorded his first career RBI with a bases-loaded walk later in the inning. 
- Right-hander Tyler Carr allowed one unearned run on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk in six innings pitched to earn his first win of the season. It marked his second quality start in as many starts this year. 
- Right-hander Chase Shell tossed three shutout innings in relief of Carr, and struck out five to record his first save of the season.
- Hartford right-hander Jake Regula allowed seven runs on four hits with one strikeout and five walks in three innings in the loss. 
- The contest marked Hartford's 2018 season opener. 

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the win:
""I thought Tyler Carr was pretty good tonight. He probably will tell you he wasn't happy with his outing because his changeup wasn't there, but I thought Tyler was good. He got us off to a good start and we swung the bats well tonight. We took some walks. We went hard, we made good turns. From first to third we ran the bases well. We did some of the little things right. We took our walks. We weren't chasing a lot early and we scored some runs tonight. We have a long day with a doubleheader tomorrow."

- On tomorrow's doubleheader:
"I told them tonight's score would not be indicative of the way Hartford will come out and play tomorrow. This one is over at midnight and our guys need to go out and be ready to get after game one. We will worry about game two when we get there. We were in this last week with a doubleheader, and we will be there next weekend. So tomorrow we have a doubleheader, it is what it is. We have to go play and we have to win anyways."

Designated Hitter Michael Sandle
- On what was going well tonight:
"Everything. Preparation started form BP, and getting my swings right with Coach [Mark] Calvi. He tells me to lay off the edges and I tried my best."
 
- On what he feels when everything is going right:
"The ball looks like a beach ball. You feel like you can hit any pitch and you have all the confidence in the world. It's one of the greatest feelings in the world."
 
- On how the team is playing:
"This is a tight group. We know we are going to be good, we expect to be good every day and we expect to come out and win every day. So I am very excited for the rest of the season."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it concludes its three-game series against Hartford with a doubleheader, beginning with game two of the series at 2 p.m. 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.