Box Score

BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 19 LSU scored four unanswered runs to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 4-1 Wednesday at Alex Box Stadium.

USA (8-10) held a 1-0 lead after 1 ½ innings before the Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the second, and added the final runs of the contest in the bottom of the third inning.

 GAME FACTS
- Santi Montiel led off the game with a double down the left field line, and advanced to second on a flyout to center field by Ethan Wilson. LSU left-hander Brandon Kaminer recorded the second out of the frame via flyout to right field by Reid Powers before Michael Sandle delivered a two-out RBI single to center field to plate Montiel for a 1-0 Jaguar lead.
- LSU tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second on a leadoff solo home run to right field by Cade Beloso.
- South Alabama loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the third on a one-out single to right field by Powers, a two-out walk by Dakota Dailey and Andrew Bates reached on a hit by pitch. But Kaminer struck out Alden Davis to escape the jam and preserve a 1-1 tie.
- The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Cade Doughty. Daniel Cabrera followed with a two-run single to center field for a 4-1 LSU advantage.

NOTES
- Sandle extended his hit streak to four games, and extended his on-base streak to five games with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first inning.
- Powers extended his on-base streak to five games with a one-out single in the top of the third inning.
- DeLaTorre recorded his first multiple-hit game of the season, finishing 2-for-4 with a double. Sandle added a double and one RBI.
- The Jaguar bullpen of Andy Argulles, Peyton Millirons and Tyler Lehrmann combined for five scoreless relief innings with six combined strikeouts without issuing a walk.
- Kaminer (3-1) allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in three innings pitched in the win.
- Jaguar right-hander Matt Boswell (1-3) allowed four runs on seven hits in three innings in the loss.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the loss:
"(Matt) Boswell's velocity was just down a little bit, and there wasn't a big enough split between his fastball and changeup; they kind of blended and he gave up some hits. In typical Boswell fashion, he competed like crazy. He'll get back on track, and we need him to. But the guys who came in behind him, Andy (Arguelles), (Peyton) Millirons and (Tyler) Lehrmann – I have been very proud of our pitching staff's effort this year. For the most part, they have done a heck of a job of keeping us in position to win ball games in a grueling schedule. I'm proud of our pitching staff overall, especially tonight.

"We jumped out and popped their (LSU) guy (Brandon Kaminer) early. We were missing that big hit again. We had some guys work to get on base; we had some good at-bats and gotten into some situations where we were a hit away from tying it up or going ahead. Sooner or later it's going to come back around, and that hit is going to come. Guys are loose, relaxed and playing hard, it's just coming down to that one or two Abs when we have some men on. But I'm a firm believer that it will come back around to them, and we'll start getting those big hits when they matter."

- On opening Sun Belt play:
"I told our guys that the record is there, but I feel the last two weeks that our guys have gotten better against teams you don't typically get better against. I've seen some guys make vast improvements at the plate and on the mound against Alabama, Arkansas and LSU. I'm proud of the way our guys have kept their nose to the grindstone. We don't like the overall in terms of the metrics and measurable of it, but the story inside the story is we have some guys coming along and getting better. Our guys continue to work, show up and go hard every day, and I told them usually that kind of effort and mindset is rewarded; it's not a guarantee because nothing is guaranteed, but it usually gets rewarded. And in the game of college baseball, the reward is winning. So I think we'll do our share, and hopefully it's coming up this weekend. Our guys are ready for it. They've run the gauntlet; we've played one of the tougher schedules in the country. Our guys have fought, and they keep getting back up off the mat. I have a lot of faith in these guys."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Fri., March 13, with a 5 p.m. (CT) contest against Georgia State in Atlanta to open Sun Belt Conference play.

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.