HARRISONBURG, Va. | South Alabama used a seven-run sixth inning to pull away from James Madison 19-3 at Eagle Field in Sun Belt Conference action late Friday night.
South Alabama (11-15, 2-5 Sun Belt) used a three-run third inning to jump on top of James Madison (15-10, 2-3 Sun Belt) 3-0 before erupting for seven runs in the sixth highlighted by a two-run home run from
Trey Lewis to extend the lead to 7-0. They added four more in the seventh on a
Colson Lawrence grand slam that extended the lead to 15-2.
Will Turner hit the team's second grand slam of the night in the top of the ninth to extend the lead to 19-2 after walking three times on the night.
Erick Orbeta led the Jags at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of runs scored, while Lewis finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBI.
Joseph Sullivan finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBI and
Mitchell Heer 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Sam Knowlton (2-1) got the win working just 3.2 innings in a pre-determined start on a pitch count. He allowed just two hits and struck out five after 67 pitches before giving way to
Matthew DeLano. Delano worked 3.1 innings and allowed a pair of runs off five hits with five strikeouts before giving way to
Jackson Boyd in the bottom of the eighth inning who worked the final two innings.
The double-digit runs scored by the Jags was the fourth time this season they have achieved that feat and is the second time in two games (10 against Nicholls on Wednesday). They also recorded 17 hits in the win, topping the season-high mark of 16 set against Nicholls on Wednesday night. The two grand slams in a game match a feat last accomplished back on February 18, 2017, against Eastern Illinois.
How It Happened
- (T3) Erick Orbeta got the scoring started as he scored on a passed ball before Joseph Sullivan drew a bases loaded walk to bring in JG Bell. The Jags added another run when Micah Morgan recorded an RBI groundout to score Will Turner, South Alabama 3-0.
- (T4) Joseph Sullivan drew a bases loaded walk to drive in Mitchell Heer, South Alabama 4-0.
- (T6) Orbeta scored after a sacrifice bunt, followed by a throwing error into the outfield on a ball put into play by Will Turner. Bell later scored on a wild pitch before Trey Lewis connected on a two-run home run to left for the Jags. The inning extended when Diego Altamirano doubled down the right field line to score Sullivan before Orbeta singled up the middle to drive in Morgan and Altamirano, South Alabama 11-0.
- (B6) James Madison got on the board with a Wyatt Peifer single to score Trevon Dabney before he scored on an Aidan McDonald single to left, South Alabama 11-2.
- (T7) Colson Lawrence continued the barrage for the Jags as he hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season, this one a grand slam that extended the lead to 13, South Alabama 15-2.
- (T9) Will Turner connected for the Jags' second grand slam of the night, South Alabama 19-2.
- (B9) Fenwick Trimble doubled home Jack Cone for James Madison, South Alabama 19-3.
Up Next
The two teams will continue their three-game set on Saturday afternoon with a single game scheduled for a 4 pm (ET) / 3 pm (CT) first pitch.
Quotable, head coach Mark Calvi
Put things together at the right time …
"I think this was our most complete game tonight. We swung the bats really well, did a lot of the little things right. Pitching and defense were outstanding, offense has been coming along the last couple of weeks. We have added some smaller stuff, anyway, to get a run in. The guys have bought in and work hard. I am super proud of
Sam Knowlton, he worked extremely hard to be in the position he is in. We knew he would be him to DeLano and I thought he did a great job. It's not easy when you have that big of lead and you sit for half an hour, but I think he did a great job getting us out of the fourth inning and late in the game. And I think
Jackson Boyd, who has been really good lately, came in and did a good job. I am super proud of our guys tonight with all the rain delays, they kept their focus and they put the uniform on to win and that is what they did."
We've talked about the little things the last couple of weeks, tonight they paid off …
"Case in point when JG (Bell) went into the hole, and he knew we weren't going to turn a double play and he threw to Erick (Orbeta) who knew the same thing. It's plays like that, just to get an out, that won't show up on the scoreboard because it was just an out. It was plays like that, mistakes we were making, we cleaned those up and made them tonight. We made great decisions. The turf was slick tonight and we used it to our advantage, we made them defend it. On a wet, tough night to play, even on turf, I thought we handled ball well. I thought we handled ourselves well during the delays, I am just so proud of their effort."
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