03/10/06–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAGS SCORE ONE IN THE NINTH TO WIN 6-5 OVER
COASTAL CAROLINA
Box
Score
CONTACT:
Kevin Sytko
MOBILE, Ala. -The South Alabama
Jaguars finally won a one run ball game and received a bit of help
to do it. Guillermo Martinez walked with the bases loaded in the
bottom of the ninth inning, in a 5-5 ball game, to force across
Tyler Jones and win the opening game of the weekend series, 6-5
over Coastal Carolina Friday night at Stanky Field.
Chase Christianson
picked up the win to improve to 1-1 on the season. Eric DeLaGarza
took the loss for the Chanticleers. He drops to 0-4 on the season.
Martinez went 1-4 with three RBI’s, including his second home
run of the season.
“Hopefully
tonight will be the start of turning it around,” said USA
head coach Steve Kittrell. “Good teams win a lot of close
games. Not all of them but most of them.”
The Jags opened
the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Tyler Jones ripped
a single to right field and subsequently stole second. Patrick Weaver
then singled to right field putting runners on the corners with
nobody out. Chanticleer starter Mike Valter then showed a good move
and picked off Weaver from first base. Freese drove in Jones from
third when he grounded out to second base driving in Jones. South
Alabama was not done scoring there. Jeff Cunningham ripped a single
up the middle and Martinez launched his second home run of the season
to left field to put the Jags up 3-0.
Coastal Carolina
took the lead in the top of the second with five runs of its own
after sending nine men to the plate. Three singles, two walks and
a three run triple highlighted the CCU attack. Freese was lifted
in the inning and gave way to Eric Gonzalez who finished up the
second with a strikeout of Matt Sutton.
USA leveled
the score at five with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Chant
reliever Travis Risser came in and walked the first two men he faced,
David Doss and Joel Collins. Jag second baseman Jeff Morris then
moved the two up 90 feet via a sacrifice bunt. CCU head coach Gary
Gilmore then summoned Andy DeLaGarza from the pen. Tyler Jones greeted
DeLaGarza with a bounding ball single up the middle to score both
runners and tie the game at 5-5.
The game stayed
tied until the bottom of the ninth. Jones opened the inning with
a perfect drag bunt to second that the Mobile, Ala., native beat
out with no throw. Weaver moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt.
The Chanticleers passed Freese intentionally, which brought Ben
Daw to the plate. Daw worked the count until he was hit by a two-two
pitch from DeLaGarza, loading the bases with one out. Martinez then
came to the plate 1-for-4 with a home run on the day and drew a
walk to bring in Jones and give the Jags a 6-5 victory.
The Jags are
back in action with a double header on Saturday. The Jags take on
Coastal Carolina at 2 p.m. and then face Georgia Southern in the
night cap at 6 p.m. Zach Piccola is set to start the first game.
Joey Doan will get the start against Georgia Southern.
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