02/12/06–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USA DROPS FINAL GAME OF JAGUAR INVITATIONAL,
8-7, TO NO. 20 ARKANSAS
Box
Score
CONTACT:
Kevin Sytko
MOBILE,
Ala. - The University of South Alabama baseball team was
unable to overcome a four-run seventh inning by Arkansas and fell
8-7 to the Razorbacks in the final game of the 2006 Jaguar Invitational
Sunday at Stanky Field.
USA got the
scoring started in the third inning when South Alabama loaded the
bases with nobody out. Patrick Weaver grounded out driving in Joel
Collins who singled to start the inning.
With South Alabama
leading 2-0, the Razorbacks took the lead with four consecutive
scoring innings. Arkansas plated a single run in the fifth, two
in the sixth including a Jake Dugger solo home run, four in the
seventh helped by a Dugger two-run blast and the eventual game winner
in the eighth on a throwing error by Bill Kleinschrodt.
Trailing 8-4
in the bottom of the ninth inning, USA mounted a spirited comeback
after Weaver walked to open the inning. David Freese picked up a
single to center to extend his hitting streak to five games and
put runners on first and second with nobody out. Arkansas then went
to closer Devin Collis. Cunningham greeted Collis with a rocket
double to center field, scoring Weaver and cutting the deficit to
8-5. Junior Ben Daw then drove a sacrifice fly to center field,
scoring Freese and cutting the deficit to 8-6. Bill Klienschrodt
singled to right field driving in Cunningham and bringing the potential
winning run to the plate in Joel Collins. South Alabama’s
magic ended there as Collins grounded out sharply to Hog third baseman
Blake Parker.
“I saw
some good things today, but we have to play nine innings of ball,”
said South Alabama baseball head coach Steve Kittrell. “I
was proud of the way we battled back and we had a chance to win.
We don’t want to hang our head, because we have seen how good
we can be.”
South Alabama
sophomore catcher Joel Collins broke out of a hitting lull with
three hits and an RBI. Cunningham went four-for-five with an RBI.
Senior David
Freese made his first career start on the mound for the Jags and
went five dominant innings. Freese picked up five strikeouts, while
only allowing an unearned run.
Arkansas left
fielder Jake Dugger homered twice for the Razorbacks. Dugger’s
four RBI’s on the day led the Hogs to a three-and-zero record
leaving Mobile.
South Alabama
returns to action Monday when it takes on in-state foe Alabama State
Monday at 2 p.m. at Stanky Field.
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