Box Score

ARLINGTON, Texas – The University of South Alabama baseball team rallied from a two-run deficit for a 6-3 series-clinching win over UT Arlington Sunday at Clay Gould Ballpark.

UTA (7-11, 1-2 SBC) held a 2-0 lead through five innings, but South Alabama (10-9, 2-1 SBC) plated three runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Hunter Stokes and a two-run double by Santi Montiel for a 3-2 advantage. An RBI double by Michael Sandle in the seventh inning doubled the USA lead at 4-2, and an RBI triple by Reid Powers in the top of the ninth extended the Jag lead to 6-2 before UTA scored the game's final run in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch.

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Tue., March 23, when it faces Auburn at 6:05 p.m. in Montgomery, Ala.

GAME FACTS
- UTA scored the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning on a two-out RBI single to left field by Josh Minjarez for a 1-0 lead.
- The Mavericks doubled their lead at 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth on a leadoff solo home run to left field by Connor Aube.
- USA cut the UTA lead in half at 2-1 in the top of the sixth on a two-out RBI double to left center field by Hunter Stokes that scored Caleb Balgaard, who singled to left field with two outs in the inning. Santi Montiel followed with a two-run double down the left field line to plate Reid Powers, who reached on a two-out walk earlier in the inning, and Stokes for a 3-2 Jaguar advantage.
- Noah Bailey drew a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh, and was lifted for pinch-runner Drake Dobyanski, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cameron Tissue and scored on a one-out RBI double to left field by Michael Sandle to double USA lead at 4-2.
- The Jags added its final runs in the top of the ninth on a two-out, two-run RBI triple off the right field wall by Powers that scored Sandle and Balgaard, who walked and reached on a hit by pitch earlier in the inning, for a 6-2 USA lead.
- UTA loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, and scored the game's final run on a wild pitch by Jase Dalton. 

NOTES
- Ethan Wilson extended his on-base streak to nine games with a two-out walk in the top of the first inning.
- Sandle extended his on-base streak and hitting streak to six games with a one-out RBI double in the top of the seventh inning.
- Jaguar right-hander JoJo Booker (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk in six innings pitched to earn his first win of the season.
- Right-hander Tyler Perez allowed one run without allowing a hit, and struck out one while issuing three walks in a season-high 2 2/3 innings pitched.
- Right-hander Jase Dalton recorded the final out of the game to earn his first save of the season.
- Montiel tied his career high in hits (3), finishing 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
- Powers tied his season high in RBIs (2), and finished 1-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and one run scored.
- Sandle and Stokes added one double and one RBI apiece.
- USA improved to 7-0 this season when outhitting the opposition.

QUOTES    
Head Coach Mark Calvi 
- On the pitching:
"JoJo (Booker) did what we had been talking about, he had one walk today. He pitched a heck of a ballgame, and (Tyler) Perez came in behind him and then Jase Dalton. Those guys were phenomenal. Aside from Perez's walks with two outs, our pitching gave us every chance to win the ballgame today and we did. I am very glad they were rewarded for their efforts, but JoJo cleaned up his walks and that's something we have talked about the last two weeks. I thought he was phenomenal today."

- On the offense and defense:
"Our guys kept fighting. In the sixth inning, Caleb Balgaard wasn't feeling great but got a big two-out hit into left field then Reid Powers drew a walk down 1-2 (in the count). He just battled; Reid has had his struggles offensively, but he is really starting to come out of it. And then (Hunter) Stokes and Santi (Montiel) with hits in there. That sixth inning was big for us dropping three (runs) on them (UTA). We just had some good at-bats from the sixth (inning) on, and really with two outs. It started with Balgaard getting it going, and we just kept passing it back and our guys kept working at the plate. We didn't have a whole lot to show for it and it was a little frustrating, but we kept hanging in there fouling some balls off, we drew some walks and got his (UTA starter David Moffat) pitch count up and they went to the bullpen. It was a total team effort, I'm just really proud of our guys' efforts offensively, defensively and on the mound today."

- On the offense after the opening weekend of Sun Belt Conference play:
"This team works every single day. We haven't quite gotten the results, and a lot of that has been our fault. But these guys show up and work every single day, and that's the biggest thing. When you have some good players, it's the mind frame. I thought Friday night our mindset wasn't great, but yesterday and today the energy was great. These guys keep showing up, and I have the utmost amount of respect for this team. They kept fighting, and that is what makes for a dangerous team when you actually do hit your stride. We have some pieces, no doubt about it, and when they hit their stride we are going to be a very dangerous team."

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.