Box Score

NATCHITOCHES, La. – The University of South Alabama baseball team used a four-run seventh inning to defeat Northwestern State 6-5 Saturday at Brown-Stroud Field.

USA (12-9) trailed 4-2 through six innings, but loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh and scored four runs on an RBI single by Michael Sandle and a three-base NSU error on a bunt by Ethan Wilson en route to a series-clinching win.

Jaguar right-hander Jase Dalton (4-2) allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in three relief innings to earn the win. Left-hander Tyler Samaniego allowed one hit and struck out three in 1 1/3 scoreless innings to record his fourth save of the season.

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Sunday when it will attempt to sweep the series against NSU at 1 p.m.

GAME FACTS
- USA scored the game's first run in the top of the fourth. Wilson led off the inning with a single to center field, stole second with one out, advanced to third on a balk and scored on a one-out RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 1-0 Jag lead.
- The Jags doubled their lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth when Richard Sorrenti lifted a 1-0 pitch from NSU left-hander Cal Carver over the left center wall.
- NSU cut the USA lead in half at 2-1 when Marshall Skinner reached on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded and two outs. Jeffrey Elkins then reached on a second straight hit by pitch from USA right-hander Matt Boswell to tie the game 2-2. Jake Haze followed with a two-out, two-run single to left field for a 4-2 Demon advantage. NSU loaded the bases with two outs in the inning on a single by Cam Sibley, and consecutive walks issued by Boswell to Daunte Stuart and Lenni Kunert.
- USA loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh on a leadoff walk by Hunter Stokes, a hit by pitch to Santi Montiel and a two-out single by Cameron Tissue. Michael Sandle followed with a walk to score Stokes and cut the NSU lead to 4-3. Wilson then reached on a throwing error by NSU right-hander Levi David on a bunt back to the pitcher that allowed Wilson to reach third and clear the bases for a 6-4 Jaguar lead.
- NSU scored the game's final run in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out solo home run to left field by Elkins.

NOTES
- Ethan Wilson extended his on-base streak to 11 games with a one-out single to left field in the top of the first. 
- Sandle extended his on-base streak to eight games with a two-out walk in the top of the seventh.
- Sorrenti's home run marked his second of the season.
- Powers, Sorrenti and Sandle finished with one RBI apiece.
- The win extended South Alabama's win streak at four games. USA has won six of its last seven games dating back to the March 14 series finale with Jacksonville State. 

QUOTES    
Head Coach Mark Calvi 
- On Matt Boswell's fifth inning:
"I can't explain it. That's never happened. (Matt) Boswell is a very reliable guy. I'm going to chalk that up to the game of baseball today. That's not like him. We gave up five free passes in that inning, and they (NSU) dropped four on us. You go from being ahead to being behind, but sometimes the game gets you. Thankfully it wasn't the last inning and we had to keep playing. I give our guys credit for fighting back. Going down after having a two-run lead, and the way we went down could have been deflating. It was for a second, but our guys kept fighting. Jase Dalton did a great job. He came in and settled the game down, and did exactly what he has done for us all year long. He was outstanding on the mound. And (Tyler) Samaniego was absolutely phenomenal again. He was absolutely outstanding to come into the game with a 1-0 count and finish up the ballgame."

- On the offense:
"We hit four or five balls hard into a wind. (Caleb) Balgaard would have probably had another one (home run). We had some guys hit some balls hard today. That seventh inning with a guy throwing 96 to 97 miles per hour, we took a couple of hit by pitches and had some good at-bats. We drew some walks and then Ethan (Wilson) put down a bunt, which surprised everybody in the house. At least today we got a couple of breaks. Part of putting together a winning team is you play the game the right way and do things the right way, and then you have to get some breaks because it is such a hard game. You have to make your own breaks too, but some of our guys are coming out of it offensively. You may not see it in the stat column right now, but we're having better at-bats and our on-base percentage has gone up. We're walking more and striking out less, and there are some capable guys that if they keep swinging it then things will turn their way. We've been very consistent on the mound, and tomorrow we're expecting a good outing from (JoJo) Booker."

RHP Jase Dalton
- On entering the game with the bases loaded in the fifth inning:
"I just wanted to come in and throw strikes and get out of it. Just locate fastball and slider, and honestly just try to strike the batter out. I tried to, but I got the popup to the catcher which works too."

- On the offense scoring four runs in the seventh inning:
"It's awesome to piece hits together, get guys on and be able to score them. It fires me up and gets me ready to go back out there."

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.