Box Score (PDF)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team homered four times in a 16-2 series-opening win over UT Arlington Friday at Stanky Field.

Will Luft hit two home runs, and Wells Davis and Dylan Hardy added one home run apiece to lead the Jaguar attack. Right-hander Tyler Carr also turned in his ninth quality start of the season in the final regular-season start of his career at Stanky Field.

South Alabama (27-20, 15-9 SBC) will return to action Saturday when it faces UTA at 6:30 p.m. in game two of the three-game series at Stanky Field.

GAME FACTS
- Zac Cook led off the game for UTA with a single back up the middle, stole second and scored on an RBI single through the right side of the infield by RJ Williams for a 1-0 lead. 
- South Alabama answered in the bottom of the second when Wells Davis hit the first pitch he saw from UTA right-hander Trae Patterson over the right-center field wall for a solo home run to lead off the inning. 
- Williams led off the top of the third with a double down the left field line, and advanced to third with one out on a flyout to right field by Will Olson. Christian Hollie followed with an RBI single to center field to plate Williams for a 2-1 Maverick advantage. 
- Travis Swaggerty led off the bottom of the third with a double to left field, and scored on a one-out RBI single back up the middle by Brendan Donovan to tie the game 2-2.
- Andrew Bates drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth, and scored one batter later when Will Luft hit the first pitch he saw from Patterson over the left-center field wall for a 4-2 Jaguar lead. 
- Paul Russo led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk, and later scored on a fielding error by Cook in center field following a single by Swaggerty that pushed the Jag lead to 5-2. Dylan Hardy followed with a two-out, two-run home run to left field to extend the Jag lead to 7-2.
- Perkins reached on a fielding error by UTA right-hander Dylan Schneider to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and advanced to second with no outs on a single to right field by Davis. Michael Sandle then reached on a throwing error by Schneider on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases with no outs. Russo lined to first base for the first out of the inning before Andrew Bates delivered a two-run single to center field to extend the Jaguar lead to 9-2. Luft followed with a three-run home run to left field on a 2-1 pitch, his second of the game, for a 12-2 Jaguar advantage. Swaggerty drew a one-out walk before Hardy doubled to the left-center gap. Donovan followed with a two-run single to left field to extend the Jag lead to 14-2. Davis delivered a two-out RBI double off the left field wall later in the inning for a 15-2 lead. 
- A two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield by Hardy scored Bates, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning, with the game's final run. 

NOTES
- Swaggerty extended his on-base streak in Sun Belt Conference games to 23 games with a leadoff double to left field in the bottom of the third inning.
- Following an RBI single by Hollie in the top of the third, Carr retired the final 14 batters he faced in the game. 
- Carr (8-2) allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts in seven innings pitched to earn the win.
- Right-hander Chase Lambert tossed two perfect innings and struck out one to help retire the final 20 batters of the game along with Carr.
- UTA right-hander Trae Patterson (3-3) allowed four runs on five hits with three strikeouts against five walks in five innings pitched in the loss.
- Luft went 2-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Davis finished 3-for-3 with a double, one home run, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Hardy added three hits, including a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Swaggerty finished with three hits, including a double, and three runs scored, and Dononvan added two hits, three RBIs and one run.
- Williams finished 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored to lead the Mavericks offensively.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the win:
"They (UTA) got some hits early. They are an aggressive ballclub with some good hitters. Carr going out there with the shutdown in the fourth inning was so important, and I would never had imagined that he would retire that many in a row. There was a point there where he kept his composure and focus – he just threw good strikes, wasn't shying away from contact and we made some good defensive plays behind him. UTA is a very capable team that is well-coached, and they are a very dangerous offense. I was just pleased with our guys' performance and the way we swung the bats. It was one of those nights where things really go your way, but you have to put yourself in position to do it and our guys worked for it. I'm just proud of the way our guys came out here and responded tonight."

RHP Tyler Carr
- On his performance:
"They (UTA) were hitting stuff early and were really aggressive. But I worked out of it and did what I could to keep the damage at a minimum."

- On his final home start:
"I honestly didn't even think about it until one of the guys said something when I came out. It was good to end on a good note."

Shortstop Will Luft
- On his two-home run performance:
"I was just trying to get good swings off and put it in play, which I haven't been doing a great job of lately but tonight it turned around a little bit. We got our guys going tonight, guys who needed to get hits got them and we just need to carry it over to tomorrow."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it faces UTA at 6:30 p.m. in game two of the three-game series at Stanky Field.

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