SAN MARCOS, Texas - South Alabama (28-18, 12-10 SBC) claimed the early momentum and pitched out of big spots multiple times to secure the series opener victory over Texas State (27-19, 10-12 SBC) on a chilly Friday night at Irvine Rasmussen Ballpark.
PRIMARY THREADS
- South Alabama got off to a hot start in the series opener when Stewart Puckett doubled home Brennon Wright out of the gate. Blake Guerin knocked in Puckett to total a pair of runs in the opening frame.
- Texas State retired two Jaguars to open the top of the second inning. What looked to be a quick inning forming, South Alabama was unfazed and resulted in scoring three runs all with two away. Catcher Duncan Mathews singled home Ethan Melton who reached on his team-leading 13th double of the season. Brennon Wright would score on a wild pitch before Puckett drove in his second run of the game in just two innings, when he singled hard back up the box allowing Mathews to come across and score.
- The first Bobcat run scored in the home half of the third on an RBI single to right field, to post a 5-1 Jaguar lead after three complete. Texas State loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Coach Calvi turned to right-hander Zach Stevens, who got the Jags back in the dugout on a 2-2 breaking ball swung through by the Bobcat hitter for a strikeout.
- Marc Stephens doubled to lead off the top of the eighth and was moved over to third base by way of Robert Miranda's sacrifice bunt. Ethan Melton singled Stephens home to tack on the sixth run of the contest for the Jags.
- Texas State plated its second run of the night and first since the third frame, though unearned in the eighth.
KEY STATS
- Stewart Puckett collected a double and a single in his 2-4 night at the dish, good for two RBI with a walk. Puckett pushed his hit streak to four games.
- Ethan Melton punched his team-leading 13th double of the year down the left field line as part of a 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Friday night starter Mitchell Heer set the tone on the mound after the Jags offense claimed an early lead. Heer went 4.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K in the no-decision.
- Zach Stevens was as good as he's been all season long. The righty delivered a season-high 4.1 IP on 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K for his team-best sixth win of the year.
QUOTABLE
HEAD COACH MARK CALVI
"Texas State is probably the best offense in the league and the most dangerous. The conditions made it a good day to pitch. I thought Mitchell (Heer) was really good and man does
Zach Stevens have guts. Both those guys do and you feel really good about running them out there. It wasn't like Stevens wasn't getting pushed, they got some hits and he had some traffic forcing him to make pitches. And that's what good pitchers do. It doesn't always come easy, but they make pitches when they have to. That's what both Mitchell and Stevens did tonight.
I told our outfield they were absolutely phenomenal. Had a night with 20-25 MPH winds blowing straight in.
Rett Johnson,
Mike Young, and
Ethan Melton made some great plays in the outfield. Also thought Duncan (Mathews) was fantastic. Duncan stole maybe seven pitches tonight at the bottom of the zone which swung the counts.
Thought our guys were intense all night long. They understand how important it is. They practice hard and they play hard. These guys understand what's at stake and they're going hard. I'm proud of them and I love this group."
ON DECK
The series continues on Saturday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m. (CT).
Ryland Bozenhard (2-2, 5.86 ERA) is scheduled to make his ninth start of the season for the Jaguars, while right-hander Cade Smith (3-1, 3.13 ERA) is the probable for the Golden Eagles.
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of University South Alabama baseball, follow the Jaguars on social media @SouthAlabamaBSB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaAthletics (Facebook), @southalabamabsb on Instagram, or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at
USAJaguars.com.
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