MOBILE, Ala. - South Alabama scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to run rule Southern Indiana in the final game of the South Alabama Invitational Presented by Hampton by Hilton, Providence Park.
Starter Leif Moore was credited with the win after throwing 4.2 innings for six hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Freshman Andrew Elkhill was tabbed to log the final out of the fifth. Freshman Zach Stevens also saw action, throwing 1.2 innings, with Danny Diaz taking over for the final out.Â
The Jaguar offense started up early, working two runners on base with two outs in the second inning, with Duncan Mathews, then Tyler Borges singling to each send a runner home. A Joseph Sullivan HBP loaded the bases and Will Turner stayed patient at the plate for a walk to make it 3-0.Â
The third inning saw another two runs with Brennan Holt doubling and then reaching third on error to score JG Bell. With Holt on third, the Jags secured another run off a squeeze play off of Duncan Mathews' bat. An inning later South made it 6-0 off a bases loaded double play.Â
The seventh had the Jags load the bases early and Borges knocked a two RBI single before the bases were loaded again after Sullivan and Turner walked, with Turner's walk again sending a man home. Freshman pinch hitter Rett Johnson arrived at the plate and chopped his own two RBI single for the game winner.
Winning Pitcher: Leif Moore (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Tyler Hutson (0-1)
QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi:
On Leif Moore's start: I thought Leif was solid, I really do. You know, Leif threw an inning on Friday and Mitch(ell Heer) was supposed to start but had some food poisoning, So we told Leif about a half hour before the game that he was starting. He was getting ready because he knew he was going to come in for Mitch. Mitch was going to throw 25 pitches, but I thought Leif was good. You know, he had one walk, he gave up he gave a few hits, but Duncan (Mathews) really picked him up throwing that runner out, and then the back pick in the first inning, yeah, he threw the runner out and then the back pick and we were in a little bit of a jam there. And I thought Duncan was really really good behind the plate. I thought Leif did enough, man. He moved his fastball around and threw some pretty good sliders, and I still think the best version of Leif is when he can throw his changeup in any count. He's not quite there yet, but that's when he's going to be at his best. You won't see an outing like that where he goes four innings and six hits and if he's got that changeup going he would have probably more of a dominant stat line but still proud of his effort, though.
On Freshman pitchers Andrew Elkhill and Zach Stevens: We got two freshmen out there. Elko came in and did his job, got the left on left, got a good hitter out fly out, and then
Zach Stevens came in and picked them up and I thought he did an admirable job, he really did. He got that double play and I thought Zack came in from coming off Tommy John's in May and this being his first appearance I thought he was really good.
On Will Turner's slow start to the season: Yeah, he's walked a good bit. You know, it's hitting is one of those things, you never really know when it comes and goes, when you just don't feel right. He's going through it a little bit right now to start the year, rather it be early than late. He'll be fine. Everyone goes through it. This is probably the longest he has felt crappy. But there are no rules in this. It is what it is and you just fight your way through it. And that's what he'll do you just gotta fight your way through it and just keep having the right perspective and the right frame of mind when you go up to the plate. That's what we talked about yesterday. Just keeping things in perspective and don't overanalyze anything. No one can explain this. No one can explain why sometimes this thing comes and goes, why it's there. Why does the ball look like a beach ball some days and look like a golf ball some other days? like no one can explain that. So, this is something that's kind of unexplainable. Everyone goes through it. Major leaguers go through it, you know, he's not immune to what he's going through right now. And you know, I told him he'll be better off for it when it's over-when he starts feeling better up there. I thought he had some good at bats today. You know, he took some strikes but he also took some balls and close pitches and drew some walks. So he was on base a bunch of times today and actually got a couple RBIs you know, bases loaded walks. There's no time frame on this. It's not like it's gonna all of a sudden turn around. It might Wednesday, maybe it doesn't, it's just nobody knows. You just keep showing up there and doing the right things and just keep things in perspective with the right frame of mind and it'll turn. Will's too good a hitter. You know, I mean, he hit whatever .360 last year and threw him into the Cape (Cod League) and things will start to turn for him. But both he and Sully (
Joseph Sullivan). Sully got a couple of hits this weekend. Those guys just need to settle in and do their thing, and just be who they are.
UP NEXT
The Jaguars will host Southeastern Louisiana Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m.
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