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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team overcame a five-run deficit to defeat Texas State 10-7 in Friday's Sun Belt Conference opener at Stanky Field.

Texas State (11-7, 0-1 Sun Belt) scored five runs in the top of the first inning, but the Jaguars plated four runs in the fifth and four in the sixth inning to cap their come-from-behind win.

USA (9-6, 1-0 Sun Belt) will return to action Saturday when it hosts Texas State in game two of the series at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

GAME FACTS
- Texas State scored the game's first run in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Skyler Valentine. Consecutive two-out RBI singles by Travon Benton and Dalton Shuffield, and a two-out, two-run double from Ryan Newman extended the Bobcat lead to 5-0 later in the inning.
- USA answered in the bottom of the first on a leadoff solo home run to right field by Bennett Shell on a 1-2 pitch from Bobcat right-hander Nicholas Fraze to cut the TXST lead to 5-1.
- Texas State pushed its lead to 6-1 in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly to right field by Shuffield.
- The Jags cut their deficit to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Kaleb DeLaTorre lifted a 2-0 pitch from Fraze over the right field wall for his second home run of the season.
- USA cut the Bobcat lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth when Ethan Wilson lifted the first pitch he saw from Fraze over the right field wall for a two-run home run, his fifth of the year. Carter Perkins delivered a one-out RBI double down the right field line later in the inning to cut the Jag deficit to one run at 6-5. An RBI sacrifice bunt by Colton Thomas allowed Perkins to score from third and tie the game at 6-6.
- Texas State responded in the top of the sixth on a two-out RBI single through the left side by Valentine for a 7-6 advantage.
- The Jags tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single to left-center field by Wilson to score Brandon Auerbach from second base. DeLaTorre delivered a two-run triple to right field later in the inning for a 9-7 USA lead, and later scored on a passed ball with the game's final run.

NOTES
- Wilson extended his on-base streak to 15 games, and extended his hitting streak to six games with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth.
- Right-hander Nick DeSantis (2-1) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings, and allowed three hits with one strikeout and one walk to earn the win.
- Wells Davis, Shell and DeLaTorre extended their respective on-base streaks to six games apiece.
- Right-hander Zach Greene pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings with three strikeouts to record his third save of the season.
- DeLaTorre tied his career high in hits and RBIs, and finished a single shy of hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, one home run, three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate.
- South Alabama extended its win streak against Texas State at Stanky Field to four games with the win.
- The win also marked the Jaguars' first this season in which they have allowed five or more runs.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On Drake Nightengale:
"I told the guys that you hate that first inning happened, but I looked up and we're in the fourth inning and there is Drake Nightengale competing. He went five (innings) and instead of letting me take him out in the second inning, he gives us five and hung in there and his teammates picked him up big time."

- On winning the conference opener:
"It means we're 1-0 and not 0-1, and that's not coachspeak. You do what you have to do to win each game, and you move on to the next one."

- On the offense:
"Bennett Shell had a big solo home run, and Kaleb DeLaTorre swung the bat well. How about Colton Thomas getting down that suicide squeeze? He has been coming off of an injury, and he missed all of last year. He is the ultimate team player, and I'm glad he had his hand in a win tonight; they all did."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it hosts Texas State in game two of the series at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field. The Jags will conclude the Texas State series on Sun., March 17, at 1 p.m., and will host New Orleans at 6:30 p.m. Wed., March 20, 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.