MOBILE, Ala. - South Alabama (19-26, 8-16 SBC) fell to No. 20 Troy (34-13, 16-8 SBC) in the Sunday rubber match, 5-6.

An early home run gave Troy a second inning lead, but the Jags scored two off a two-run single in the fifth inning from John Smith III.

Lucas Ismaili again hit a solo home run for the fourth time in the last four games, giving the 3-1 lead for South Alabama in the sixth inning. 

Troy took one run back with an RBI single in the seventh inning, with the Jaguars maintaining the lead entering the ninth inning. 

Troy worked the bases loaded before a four-run home run gave the Trojans a 6-3 lead. With two outs, Ty Brooks loosed a two-run homer to right field. Troy earned the third out before South was able to plate the tying run.

Win: Jay Dill (3-1)
Save: Colby Frieda (3)
Loss: Andrew Floyd (0-1)

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi

On pitching today and the outcome: Willingham was great. Both starters did a really nice job. They just made a few more pitches than we did out of the bullpen. That's what it came down to. We left some guys out there. We had a chance to move some runners along, first and second, and didn't get it done. Again, both starters matched up. We had the edge. They were just a little bit better. They executed a little bit better out of the pen today. They executed a little bit better offensively in the leverage innings of the game, and that's what got us today. So our guys fought hard, competed hard, came out to win, and we just came up a little bit short.

On the offensive shortcomings: We just didn't get the big hit. You know, we didn't get the big hit off Lyon. He made some good pitches. We had too many strikeouts in there against him. I thought we didn't battle him the way we needed to. We gave up on some breaking balls with two strikes, and again, our guys fought and competed hard. That's the game. I felt as though we should have had more runs online, but Lyon did a good job. He competed as part of a very good club. That's why they're at where they're at. There's a fine line between winning and losing, and you know, we're walking that line, and you can see it, getting the lead off out and putting guys away late in the game, and we didn't do it today. Proud of our guys' effort. I told them the only thing I'm not pleased with is the outcome. The energy, the enthusiasm, the focus, it was all there, the will to win. Everything was there except for the results and the results are, you know, on paper, and what counts so but I'm proud of our guy's effort. Collectively, we competed hard and just came up a little bit short today.

UP NEXT
South Alabama will play in Hammond, La. at Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

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