MOBILE, Ala. | For the third consecutive conference series, South Alabama won back-to-back games after dropping the opener, defeating Georgia State 7-2 on Sunday afternoon at Eddie Stanky Field to take the series from the Panthers.
South Alabama (21-19, 9-9 SBC) has won four consecutive conference series, including the last two at home, and has won 10 out of its last 13 games (11 out of the last 15). With the win, the Jags also are just a half-game back of App State (-8 for eighth place in the conference standings, and just one game back of third place (and two of second).
Jeremy Lee (2-5) won his second consecutive outing, pitching 6.0 innings and allowing just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts. The sophomore turned it over to
Jackson Boyd in the seventh, working 2.0 innings and allowing one run on two hits before
Grant Wood came in to record the final three outs in the ninth.
Will Turner led the Jags at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with a pair of walks and three stolen bases, while
Diego Altamirano picked up a pair of doubles and three RBI on the day. Meanwhile,
Tyler Borges registered just two official at-bats with three walks on the day.
How It Happened
- (B2) The Jags got on the board first when Altamirano doubled the left-center field gap to score Micah Morgan who was hit by a pitch before he was driven in by Austin Thrasher with a single to left. The inning stayed alive with an RBI single to right from JG Bell to score Thrasher from second, South Alabama 3-0.
- (T3) Max Ryerson singled through the left side to score Cameron Jones, South Alabama 3-1.
- (B3) Altamirano delivered his second double of the game, this one scoring Tyler Borges and Morgan, South Alabama 5-1.
- (B5) Thrasher drove in a run with a ground ball to short resulting in a fielder's choice that scored Joseph Sullivan, South Alabama 6-1,
- (B6) Sullivan tripled off the right field wall with two outs in the inning to score Turner and add to the lead, South Alabama 7-1.
- (T7) Caleb Stewart hit a two-out solo home run to left for the Panthers, South Alabama 7-2.
Up Next
Alabama State returns to action at home on Tuesday in a non-conference midweek matchup with New Orleans on "Bark in the Park Night" with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 pm.
Quotable, head coach Mark Calvi
Another back-to-back weekend of quality starts, and then your bullpen did the job …
"They were fantastic. Our guys fought their way back into the series, it is tough to beat a good team two out of three much less losing like we did on Friday night getting pushed around. Our guys came out ready to play, two outstanding starts and really good out of the bullpen and then a bunch of guys contributing getting on base and driving runs in."
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The bottom of the order came through again today …
"Huge day out of Diego, five RBI out of the bottom from him and Thrasher who instead of rolling into a double play beat the throw out to drive in a run. The guy struck out Thrasher on three pitches yesterday and today he rolls one through the six hole. Multiple guys with RBI, nine walks, a lot of guys on base today and then guys drove them in. The thing is you have to look at the guys in front of them, what they did to get on base in order for them to drive them in. We picked and chose our times to steal bases today to where a single turned into a runner at second with the wind blowing in. Our guys were really good today and being patient."
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The conference is really jammed up …
"It's big just to win period. There are 12 conference games to go, it's jumbled up right now. Teams will move forward, some will move backward, it is not going to stay the same. You go out and play good baseball. We are trending up; with some injuries we can line up some guys in comfortable roles. Everyone is more comfortable and do their job."
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