| 06/04/05
– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGS
END SEASON WITH 8-5 LOSS TO ARMY AT TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL
CONTACT-
Kevin Beasley
Box
Score
TALLAHASSEE,
Fla.-
Army's eight-run third proved to be the difference Saturday afternoon
as the University of South Alabama baseball team fell 8-5 in the
elimination game of the Tallahassee Regional of
the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Tournament at Mike Martin
Field at Dick Howser Stadium.
"In
the game of baseball, you always know that you have to stay away
from the big inning," said South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell.
"The big inning hurt us in both games here this weekend. You
have to give Army alot of credit, they are a very good ball club.
They were equally impressive today as they were last night against
Florida State. We just couldn't get that key hit when we needed
it."
Army
(39-13) exploded in the bottom of the third after starting the inning
with back-to-back singles from Jason Meloy and Kyle Scoggins to
put runners at the corner. The Black Knights broke through in the
scoring column when Milan Dinga doubled off the wall in right center.
Dinga and Scoggins then came home to score on Schuyler Williamson's
single to left. After a Williamson steal and back-to-back hit batters
by Jag starter Tommie Major loaded the bases, Army's Cole White
hit what seemed to be an inning-ending fielder's choice, but Guillermo
Martinez could not come up with the ball, allowing Williamson to
score from third. The error would prove costly for the Jags as Army
added four more runs, highlighted by Meloy's bases clearing double.
For the inning, Major allowed eight runs, three of which were earned.
USA
(35-27) threatened to break through on the scoreboard in the fifth
with runners at second and third with no outs, but the Jags could
not get them home.
In
the sixth, South Alabama did get on the board. Jag center fielder
Patrick Weaver drew a walk to lead off the inning and moved to third
on a David Freese single to center. With one out, Quendon Montgomery
singled through the left side of the infield to score Weaver. Designated
hitter Jeff Cunningham then loaded the bases with a walk. Joel Collins
cut the deficit to five with a two-run single to right to score
Montgomery and Freese. Jeff Morris then greeted Army reliever Monty
Jones with a sharp single to left to bring in Cunningham and make
it 8-4.
The
Jags plated one run in the eighth. Stapleton led off with a walk
and with two outs in the inning pinch-hitter Michael Cart doubled
to right to put runners in scoring position. Stapleton came in to
score and cut the lead to 8-5 when Army third baseman Jeremy Stache
booted a grounder by Weaver.
Morris
led the Jags offensively on the day with three hits and an RBI.
The
win by the Black Knights is the first in NCAA Tournament Regional
play in the program's history.
|
