LINCOLN, Neb. - South Alabama shot ahead and never looked back in an 11-3 drubbing of Nebraska.
The Jags took off with the first opportunity, with the first four batters reaching and scoring off a Joseph Sullivan RBI single and a Lucas Ismaili opposite field home run. Carson Swilling took the momentum into the bottom of the first, going three up, three down. Ethan Melton rocketed a two-run ball to right field in the third to make it 6-0 until NU responded with two runs for themselves in the bottom of the same inning.Â
Will Turner sparked for a leadoff homer in the fifth and Carson Swilling ended his night after logging a fly out for the first out of the seventh before freshman Jaxon Shineflew took over on the mound.Â
The seventh and eighth innings were a quiet six at bats and six outs for the Jags but JG Bell found blood on the fist ball he saw with a solo shot, followed by a Duncan Mathews double and a Tyler Borges walk. Melton smacked a single for another RBI and Sullivan walked to load the bases. Micah Morgan, in for Ismaili, knocked in a two-RBI infield single that capped off the Jags' offensive performance with a four-run ninth. The Huskers landed a garbage time run with one out but South closed things out to win their first ever game against Nebraska.
Winning Pitcher: Carson Swilling (2-1)
Losing Pitcher: Drew Christo (1-1)
QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
Overall Thoughts: I thought our guys played wonderfully. It started on the mound with Swilling; he set the tone, and it also started with our guys jumping their starter for four runs in the first inning. I thought our guys set the tone early, put their foot on the gas, didn't take it off, super proud of their effort. You know, coming into a power five venue and just getting after them. So yeah, we did what we had to do today and they'll enjoy it till midnight and then we'll get over it and we'll be ready to roll tomorrow.
UP NEXT
South Alabama plays game two against Nebraska Saturday March, 9 at 2 p.m.
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