MOBILE, Ala. | South Alabama split a doubleheader with Eastern Kentucky on day two of the Jaguar Classic at Stanky Field on Saturday, dropping the opener 2-0 before winning the nightcap 26-6.
In the nightcap, South Alabama (2-1) drew a school record 20 walks in the win, besting a mark of 18 set against Alabama back on April 8, 1979 – a record that stood for 40-plus years. The 26 runs scored was the first time the Jags have scored 25 or more runs in a game since scoring 32 against Eastern Illinois on February 18, 2017. The Jags also scored 11 runs in the seventh inning, the first time they have scored 11 in an inning since Jackson State back on February 11, 2012.
Six different players picked up a pair of hits for the Jags in the nightcap including
Will Turner who finished 2-for3 with five runs batted in and three walks, while
Diego Altamirano finished 2-for-4 with four runs batted in and three walks.
Cole Ketzner finished 2-for-5 with three runs batted in and a pair of walks, while
Colson Lawrence finished 2-for-3 in the win.
Erick Orbeta finished 2-for-5 with four runs scored and a pair of runs batted in, while
JG Bell finished 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and a pair of runs scored.
Zach Willingham (1-0), the second of four pitchers, picked up the win with 1.2 innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts in relief of starter
Garfield Johns who finished with nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
In the opener, South Alabama was held to four hits in the loss by three Eastern Kentucky (2-1) pitchers
Gehrig Conrad (0-1) suffered the loss working five innings and allowing just one run on three hits with five strikeouts before giving way to three relievers.
How It Happened
Game One (2-0, Eastern Kentucky)
- (T1) Charles Ludwick drew a bases loaded walk to drive in Logan Thomason, 1-0 Eastern Kentucky.
- (T6) Thomason reached on an infield single to drive in Roderick Criss, 2-0 Eastern Kentucky.
Game Two (26-6, South Alabama)
- (B2) Bell singled through the right side to drive home Lawrence and Ketzner, 2-0 South Alabama.
- (B3) Altamirano singled to center to score Turner, 3-0 South Alabama.
- (B4) Orbeta doubled to left center to score Tyler Borges before Michael Heer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in Orbeta, 5-0 South Alabama.
- (T5) Criss singled to center to drive home Max Williams, 5-1 South Alabama.
- (B5) Borges reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt that allowed Lawrence to come around to score before scoring on a wild pitch. Bell who reached earlier in the inning scored on a wild pitch before Altamirano singled to center to drive in Austin Thrasher. Ketzner drove home a pair of runs with a double down the right field line to close the inning, 11-1 South Alabama.
- (B6) Turner cleared the bases with a triple to center before Heer drove home a run with a sacrifice fly, 15-1 South Alabama.
- (T7) Conner Davis singled home a run up the middle before Will King hit a three-run home run down the left field line. Matthew Corlew closed the scoring for Eastern Kentucky with a double down the left field line, 15-6 South Alabama.
- (B7) Orbeta singled to right before Turner singled to center to extend the lead. After back-to-back walks, Ketzner singled down the right field line to drive in another run. Borges walked, followed by a sacrifice fly by Bell. The Jags scored their final runs on a pair of walks and a pair of hit by pitches, 26-6 South Alabama.
Up Next
South Alabama returns to the field on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Jaguar Classic against in-state foe UAB.
Quotable, head coach Mark Calvi
Talk about both games today, two different games.
"Their starter in game one had a hand in the way we played, we have to be able to beat somebody like that in order to win the league, get into postseason and advance. Early on we have faced some good arms to open the season, the guy today in the first game any pitch, any count, any out, he was really good. We got stuffed offensively and then we had 40 minutes for our guys to reset, and I thought they did a nice job. We had to face a guy just as good, had good numbers last year, and he was good for three innings. We really battled at the plate, and I thought the biggest at-bat of the game was
JG Bell shooting that ball into right center with guys at second and third. I think the guys took a breath after that. We didn't get a lead off guy on and struggled to do it even against Northwestern State early on. That is a key to getting going, getting your leadoff guy on offensively and getting him out defensively. We kind of took from there. We laid off some marginal pitches and that guy was good, he was around 90 early on, ran his pitches up and chased him out and got into the pen."
You got to use some arms tonight, and so far through the weekend.
"I think the key to winning the second game tonight was the way (Garfield) Johns matched up. He has been really good for us, and he is new, from the day he stepped foot on campus. I thought he was outstanding tonight, and he outlasted a really good lefty from Eastern Kentucky. He helped us settle down from game one and gave us a chance offensively."
Long today, and you close the weekend out tomorrow against UAB.
"Long day today. The good thing is that it is not as early as a 1:00 start, it's all hands-on deck, we have some arms left as far as depth in the pitching staff, but four games to start the season with a lot of guys who finished the game tonight will play tomorrow. The key is getting some rest and getting off their feet and being ready to go tomorrow."
Follow the Jags
For complete coverage of University South Alabama baseball, follow the Jaguars on social media @SouthAlabamaBSB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaAthletics (Facebook), @southalabamabsb on Instagram, or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at USAJaguars.com.
