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MOBILE, Ala. – Right-hander Drake Nightengale recorded career highs in strikeouts and innings pitched to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 4-1 win over Southern Miss Tuesday at Stanky Field.

Nightengale (3-2) struck out a career-high 14 batters in a career-best seven scoreless innings pitched, and allowed three hits while issuing a pair of walks, to earn record his third win of the season.

South Alabama (16-20) will return to action Thu., April 18, when it hosts Georgia State in the first of a three-game Sun Belt Conference weekend series at Stanky Field.

GAME FACTS
- Ethan Wilson and Michael Sandle reached on consecutive singles to put runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the first inning. Kaleb DeLaTorre then reached on an RBI fielder's choice on a grounder to second to plate Wilson with the game's first run.
- Eddie Paparella drew an 11-pitch, one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth inning, and moved to third on a single to right-center field by Santi Montiel. Dakota Dailey then reached on a fielder's choice on a safety-squeeze bunt that scored Paparella to double the Jaguar lead at 2-0. Montiel tagged on a flyout to center field by Reid Powers, and scored one batter later on a fielding error by USM third baseman Danny Lynch on a bunt by Bennett Shell for a 3-0 Jag advantage.
- Sandle led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to right-center field, stole second and scored one batter later on an RBI single up the middle by Kaleb DeLaTorre for a 4-0 Jaguar lead.
- Southern Miss scored the final run of the game on a one-out RBI double to left-center field by Hunter Slater.

NOTES
- Reid Powers made his first start of the season at catcher.
- Ethan Wilson extended his hitting streak and on-base streak to eight games with a one-out single in the bottom of the first inning.
- Wells Davis extended his on-base streak to six games with a two-out walk in the bottom of the first inning.
- Santi Montiel extended his hitting streak and on-base streak to five games with a one-out single to right-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
- DeLaTorrre extended his hitting streak and on-base streak to eight games with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
- Nightengale's 14 strikeouts were the most by a Jaguar pitcher since Kevin Hill on April 24, 2015, when he struck out 15 in a win over Georgia State.
- The win marked the Jaguars second straight over Southern Miss, as well as the second consecutive win over the Golden Eagles at Stanky Field dating back to last season.

Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On Drake Nightengale:
"Drake (Nightengale) was fantastic. He was calm, threw his breaking ball for strikes, pitched backward and forward, and was up to 92 (mph). We've seen glimpses of how good he can be this year. He's been in a little bit of a rut on the mound, and it was great to see him break out. He was fantastic, and he's worked extremely hard and deserves it. He's been rested the last three weeks. He has come out of the bullpen and done a good job for us. He's been waiting his turn, and been working while he's had to wait. I couldn't be more proud of him. And Reid Powers, making his first start this year – the kid is everything the program is about. He's down there working and staying ready. We didn't miss a beat behind the plate with that kid; I thought he was phenomenal."

RHP Drake Nightengale
- On his performance:
"I always dreamed of pitching against them (Southern Miss). That's my hometown, and I was just glad I could do what I did today. I located my fastball really well; everything was working. I didn't let myself get behind in counts a lot. I really felt like I settled in after that first inning. I kept going back to my slider after the second inning. When I came off, I told (pitching) Coach (Brad) Phillips I felt really good and everything was working. It was that way pretty much all night."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Thu., April 18, when it hosts Georgia State in the first of a three-game Sun Belt Conference weekend series 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).

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