Game 1 of Doubleheader (PDF)
Game 2 of Doubleheader (PDF)
 
CLEMSON, S.C. – The University of South Alabama baseball team split a doubleheader with No. 14 Clemson Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Clemson (2-1) clinched the series with a 7-2 win in game one of Saturday's twinbill before the Jaguars took the series finale 4-3. 

South Alabama (1-2) will return to action Tue., Feb. 19, when it hosts Alabama State at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field in the 2019 home opener.

Game 1 of Doubleheader
No. 14 Clemson 7, South Alabama 2
GAME FACTS
- Clemson scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Logan Davidson that scored Sam Hall, who led off the inning with a single, for a 1-0 advantage.
- The Tigers loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth on a one-out walk by Jordan Greene, Bryce Teodosio reached on a hit by pitch and Sam Hall walked with two outs. But Jaguar right-hander JoJo Booker escaped the jam with an inning-ending popup to shortstop off the bat of Michael Green to preserve a one-run Jaguar deficit.
- Clemson loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth on a leadoff walk by Davidson, a one-out walk by Grayson Byrd and a two-out walk from Greene. Teodosio followed with a grand slam to center field to extend the Tiger lead to 5-0.
- South Alabama cut the Clemson lead to 5-2 in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run to center field by Wells Davis, his second in as many games.
- Hall led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to left-center field to increase the Tiger lead to 6-2.
- Clemson added the game's final run in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of Kyle Wilkie.

NOTES
- Davis extended his on-base streak to 21 games, dating back to last season, with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning.
- Ethan Wilson recorded his second straight multiple-hit game, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and one run scored.
- Right-handers Joel Cheatwood, Zach Young and Tyler Trussell each made their Jaguar debut in game one.
- The Jags out-hit Clemson 6-5, which marked the second straight contest USA out-hit the Tigers.
- Right-hander JoJo Booker (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits with six strikeouts and three walks in 4 1/3 innings in the loss. 
- Clemson right-hander Davis Sharpe (1-0) tossed five shutout innings, and struck out eight batters against two walks in five innings pitched to earn the win.

Game 2 of Doubleheader
South Alabama 4, No. 14 Clemson 3
GAME FACTS
- South Alabama took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Felix Aberouette lifted an 0-1 pitch over the center field wall for a one-out, three-run home run – the first of his Jaguar career.
- CU cut the Jag lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out solo home run to left field by Davis Sharpe.
- USA answered in the top of the fifth when Michael Sandle tripled to left field with one out, and scored one batter later on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Santi Montiel for a 4-1 advantage.
- The Tigers cut the Jag lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run by Sharpe.

NOTES
- Davis extended his on-base streak to 22 games when he reached on a hit by pitch in the top of the fourth.
- Aberouette recorded the first multiple-hit game of his career, and finished 2-for-4 with a double, one home run, a career-high three RBIs and one run scored.
- Left-hander Caleb Yarborough earned his first start since returning from an injury that cost him most of the 2018 season. Right-hander Jase Dalton made his Jaguar debut, and Zach Greene made his first appearance of the 2019 season.
- Dalton (1-0) allowed two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts and one walk in two relief innings to earn the win.
- Right-hander Zach Greene pitched 3 1/3 scoreless relief innings, and allowed just one hit while striking out eight without issuing a walk.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On Caleb Yarborough's performance:
"What can you say? He is ten months off of Tommy John (surgery). That kid has poise – he's tough as nails. He's not afraid nor phased, but we saw that last year. Looking back, he wasn't right the whole year and you would never know it against some of the good teams he pitched against until he went down. I had so much confidence in him; I felt great coming into the third game with Caleb on the mound, because he has been here. He's 100 percent of where he's at right now. He'll have his pitch limit, and hopefully we keep getting three to five good innings out of him. I can't say enough good things about that kid. He's worked extremely hard, and good things happen to guys who work."

- On the bullpen:
"Jase (Dalton) was really good. (Tyler) Perez gave up that home run, but he went in there and competed like crazy and also had a few strikeouts in there; I thought Perez competed really hard. (Davis) Sharpe got one up in the wind, but give him credit. And then Zach Greene did what he does; that's why we're thrilled to have him back. He's such a great competitor, and no situation is too big for him as you saw tonight."

- On the importance of getting a win in the series finale:
"It's big because we were so close. The score doesn't indicate that, but we actually out-hit them in two games. It was a matter of getting the big hit. We just gave them (Clemson) too many free passes. You can't give a good team like Clemson, especially with that pitching staff, opportunities to score without having to earn it. We walked too many guys, but we were close; we were right there, and Clemson knew it. We walked guys, but it wasn't because of a lack of competition or guys were afraid of it. This wasn't too big for any of our guys. A couple of them just didn't get it done like we or they would have liked to, but they competed and moving forward that's the biggest thing. As long as guys aren't afraid and timid, the rest will come. I have a lot of faith in these guys. They're going to compete, and I thought we did that all weekend. Our guys came out to win every game, but we got that third game off on the right foot, pitched really well and limited their free passes, and that was the difference."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Tue., Feb. 19, when it hosts Alabama State at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field in the 2019 home opener.

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.