JONESBORO, Ark. | South Alabama closed the 2023 season falling to Arkansas State 18-11 in a hard-fought contest at Tomlinson Stadium in Sun Belt Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
South Alabama (23-31, 11-19 SBC) took an early lead in the top half of the first inning before tying it up in the top half of the second, before Arkansas State took the lead for good in the bottom of the second (5-4).
Joseph Sullivan recorded his 20th stolen base on the season, the first time a Jag has stolen 20 or more stolen bases since Cole Billingsley stole 31 in 2016.
Will Turner extended his consecutive on-base streak to 33 games to close out the season, marking the second straight season he will carry that streak over into a new year for the Jags.
Erick Orbeta led South Alabama at the plate going 3-for-5 with a double and triple.
JG Bell,
Hunter Donaldson,
Micah Morgan, and
Cole Ketzner each finished with a pair of hits in the loss with each picking up an RBI.
Austin Thrasher finished the day 1-for-3 with three runs batted in and he reached base three times via walks.
Matthew DeLano (2-1), the second of seven pitchers used on the day, suffered the loss in relief of starter
Tyler Smith. After entering in the bottom of the first inning, the junior logged 1.2 innings and allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits with three strikeouts.
How It Happened
- (T1) Orbeta led off the inning with a triple before scoring on a throwing error off the bat of Thrasher, who then came around to score on a wild pitch on a strikeout one batter later, South Alabama 2-0.
- (B1) Wil French scored on a passed ball before John Hoskyn delivered a three-run home run to center field, Arkansas State 4-2.
- (T2) Orbeta doubled down the left field line to score Donaldson from third before Turner singled through the left side to score Orbeta, 4-4.
- (B2) Brayden Caskey lifted a sacrifice fly out to center to score French, Arkansas State 5-4.
- (B3) French singled through the right side to score Dylan Debuty before Blake Burris delivered a single to right to drive in another run. The Red Wolves added another on a fielding error with two outs in the inning, Arkansas State 9-4.
- (T4) Thrasher drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Morgan before a two-run single off the bat of Sullivan to drive in Ketzner and Orbeta, Arkansas State 9-7.
- (B4) French reached on a fielder's choice driving in a run before Daedrick Cail was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Arkansas State 11-7.
- (T6) Morgan singled to right to drive in Sullivan before Ketzner drew a bases-loaded walk. Thrasher singled through the left side to drive in Donaldson before the inning ended, Arkansas State 11-10.
- (B6) Brandon Hager homered to center to extend the Red Wolves lead, Arkansas State 13-10.
- (T7) Donaldson reached on a fielder's choice allowing Sullivan to score to trim the deficit to just two, Arkansas State 13-11.
- (B7) Nathan VerMass singled through the right side to drive in a pair of runs before Burris singled home another run. The Red Wolves continued the scoring in the inning with a two-run single by Hager up the middle, Arkansas State 18-11.
The loss brought an end to the careers of seniors
Diego Altamirano,
Jackson Boyd,
Jacob Bruning,
Jake Glenn,
Zach Harlan,
Walker Johnson, Orbeta, and Thrasher. The group played a part in 128 wins, with the Jags winning the 2021 Sun Belt Conference championship and advancing to the NCAA Regionals.
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