Box Score (PDF)

JONESBORO, Ark. – Michael Sandle homered twice, including a grand slam, and right-hander JoJo Booker turned in a quality start to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to an 11-6 win over Arkansas State Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium.

USA (12-9, 3-2 Sun Belt) snapped Arkansas State's nine-game home win streak, which also marked the Red Wolves' first home loss of the year, and evened the series at one game apiece to force a Sunday rubber match at 1 p.m. at Tomlinson Stadium.

GAME FACTS
- ASU scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI infield single by Alex Howard.
- USA loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third inning on a leadoff walk by Brandon Auerbach, bunt single to third by Bennett Shell and a hit by pitch to Ethan Wilson. Wells Davis followed with an RBI single to left field to score Auerbach and tie the game at 1-1. Carter Perkins then drew a walk to score Shell for a 2-1 Jaguar lead. Felix Aberouette then delivered a one-out RBI single to left field to plate Wilson for a 3-1 advantage. Santi Montiel followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Davis and extend the Jaguar lead to 4-1.
- The Red Wolves loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth on a leadoff walk by Kyle MacDonald, single by Sky-Lar Culver and one-out walk by Justin Felxi. Jake Joblonski reached on a fielder's choice on a grounder to third that allowed MacDonald to score and cut the Jaguar lead in half at 4-2.
- Perkins led off the top of the fifth with a single back up the middle, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kaleb DeLaTorre. Aberouette and Montiel drew consecutive one-out walks to load the bases for Michael Sandle, who lifted a 3-2 pitch from ASU left-hander Chandler Coates over the right field wall for a grand slam for an 8-2 Jaguar lead.
- The Jaguars pushed their lead to 10-2 in the top of the seventh inning when Sandle lifted a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run. Auerach followed with a walk, and scored one batter later on a two-out RBI double to right field by Shell for an 11-2 advantage.
- ASU answered in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double to left field by Joblonski to cut the Jaguar lead to 11-3. A sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Karsen Reid cut the USA lead to 11-4. A pinch-hit RBI single by Andrew Leggo later in the inning cut the Jag lead to 11-5.
- The Red Wolves added the game's final run in the bottom of the ninth on a bases-loaded RBI single to right field by Howard.

NOTES
- Sandle's grand slam in the top of the fifth inning was the first Jaguar grand slam of the season, and the first of his career at South Alabama. It was the first grand slam by a Jag since Carter Perkins' at Little Rock on May 4, 2018.
- Sandle recorded the first multi-home run game of his career, and the first by a Jag since Will Luft homered twice on May 11, 2017, against UT Arlington.
- Santi Montiel extended his on-base streak to six games with a walk in the top of the second inning.
- Perkins extended his on-base streak to seven games with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the third inning.
- Sandle finished went 2-for-5 with two home runs, six RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Jags at the plate. Shell went 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI and one run scored.
- DeLaTorre reached on a two-out infield single in the top of the eighth inning to extend his on-base streak to 12 games and his hitting streak to five games.
- Booker (3-2) allowed two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts against three walks in six innings pitched to earn his third win of the season.
- Coates (3-1) allowed eight runs on six hits with three strikeouts and six walks in five innings pitched to suffer his first loss of the year.
- Right-hander Zach Greene recorded the final two outs of the game, both via strikeout, to earn his fifth save of the season.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On JoJo Booker's performance:
"JoJo (Booker) set the tone. I'm very proud of him. He gets a little bit better every time out. He has really matured as a pitcher; he handles different situations. It could have gotten fast for him in the first (inning), and he could have given up a couple of runs. They were trying to run on him a little bit, but JoJo just stayed calm and made pitches. His velocity and stuff were good. I couldn't be more proud of his effort. I have been super proud of him since the fall. You could see his willingness to learn and work. He has worked extremely hard, and earned what he is getting right now. I'm very proud of him."

- On the offense:
"Mike's (Sandle) home runs were big. He had a very good day. I thought Wells Davis going opposite field, shooting the ball the other way got us on the board; it was our first RBI in 12 innings. (Brandon) Auerbach leading off, Bennett (Shell) getting a bunt down and then Wells using the other side of the field. Wells has had some really good at-bats and hasn't had a lot to show for it in terms of numbers. But he is a guy for us, a run-producer for us who gets on base and has some power. I was impressed with his willingness to use the other side of the field and not be stubborn and try to pull it. I am very pleased with him. Ethan Wilson lined out a couple of times; I thought some guys had some really good at-bats up and down the lineup."

Outfielder Michael Sandle
- On his grand slam:
"Coach Calvi told me to just be yourself up there, so I kind of took that approach. I was up there battling, and was really just trying to get the run in. It just happened to go out."

- On some of the keys to his recent success at the plate:
"I'm just carrying over the things I do well in practice to the games. And I'm making adjustments during the game; if something isn't working then I change it up."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Sunday when it faces Arkansas State in the rubber match at 1 p.m. at Tomlinson Stadium.

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).

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