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Zambo fielding at first
5
South Alabama USA 7-6
6
Winner Louisiana Tech LATECH 9-5
South Alabama USA
7-6
5
Final
6
Louisiana Tech LATECH
9-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
South Alabama USA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 11 1
Louisiana Tech LATECH 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 X 6 9 2

W: Hubka,Grant (2-2) L: Stevens, Zach (1-1) S: Hooks,Blake (4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

South's Ninth-Inning Rally Falls One Run Short in Series Opener at Louisiana Tech

RUSTON, La. - South Alabama scored five runs in the top of the ninth to threaten a comeback, but fell short as Louisiana Tech took the series opener, 6-5.

South Alabama struggled early on, only recording three hits through the first six innings. When La Tech took to the bullpen, the Jags were able to put pressure on, with an extra-base hit in the seventh, two hits in the eighth, and five hits in the ninth. 

Relievers Seth Carter and Sam Boardwine went four combined innings, only allowing one run and issuing three strikeouts. Boardwine made his Jaguar debut, throwing an efficient 18 pitches and went through all six batters in order. 

With one out in the ninth, the Jags scored their first run off a Kyle Morrison sac fly. A Hector Mangual walk, Lucas Ismaili single, and Rett Johnson hit loaded bases, allowing Greg Pettay to send one home on an infield single. A wild pitch scored another, then Duncan Mathews was awarded first after being struck by an errant pitch. An infield error scored one more, bringing the Jaguars just one run shy of tying it all while working on the final out. A strikeout ended the comeback after a heated exchange between the umpire and Head Coach Mark Calvi that ended in an ejection.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi

On the team's performance: We did not get a great start today from Stevens. Their guy was better than he's been all year long. He's good, but he was really good tonight. We lined him out six or seven times, but we didn't touch home plate, so the kid went six innings. Shut us out. Our guys played hard. We made a couple base running mistakes. Don't know if we would have changed the outcome of the game, but you know, we had some decent at bats, not enough good ones through the first six. Like I said, we hit the ball hard a few times, six or seven times, but couldn't touch home plate. I give him credit. He pitched around, some jams and we started. We had way too many strikeouts and we chased him. We threw our plan out the window the second time through, offensively. I told our guys I appreciate how hard they played for all nine innings, but we had some chances to do things better early on, and that's how the game goes. They played a little bit better. They made one more hit than us, one more big hit, you know, they had a couple of home runs and some extra base hits and they pitched better than we did.

UP NEXT
South Alabama will look to rebound in game two of the series tomorrow, March 8, at 11 a.m.

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