BOX SCORES
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -The University of South Alabama got huge games from Jeff Cunningham and Zach Piccola but in the end, fell three runs short against the Ragin Cajuns, the final score 8-5. USA will now pin its post-season hopes to an at-large selection.
Cunningham hit two home runs and a double and Piccola went seven innings. USA held a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning, but saw the Cajuns rally to score four in the eighth and two more in the ninth. The Jags are now 38-19.
South Alabama drew first blood with a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but it cost the Jags their best player. Freese was at-bat with two out and nobody on, when he was hit in the head by a Jason Fernandez fastball. Jeff Cunningham hammered a double off of the left center field wall. Pitch runner Ben Daw scored on the play and the Jags took an early lead.
The Cajuns answered with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Josh Landry led off with a single up the middle. Scott Hawkins then doubled off of the left center field wall. Landry scored all the way from first to tie the game. Piccola then walked Devon Bourque to set up a sacrifice, which John McCarthy executed to perfection. Jamison Parker then lifted a sacrifice fly to George in right to put the Cajuns up 2-1.
The Jags tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Guillermo Martinez led off with a single and then was sacrifice to second by Joel Collins. Jeff Morris then ripped a clutch RBI line drive to left center. Martinez scored easily to tie the game at two.
South Alabama took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Daw led of the inning and reached first when he was hit by a pitch. Cunningham then drove his fifth home run of the season to left field. The two-run shot was Cunningham’s first jack since April 1st, against Troy. USA took the lead 4-2.
The Cajuns looked to cut into the Jag lead in the top of the eighth inning when Devery Van De Keere led off with a single to right. USA pitching coach Ronnie Powell went to Chase Christianson. Jonathon Lucroy then bounced a double over the head of Daw at third. Van De Keere scored when Patrick Weaver slipped and the ball went to the wall. With nobody out, Alex Preciado grounded to second, moving the runner to third. With the Jag infield in, Jefferies Tatford bounced a double down the right field line, scoring Lucroy. Landry lifted a sacrifice fly to right field with one out to give the Cajuns the lead 4. Christianson’s next pitch, a fastball was drilled for a home run to left center field by Scott Hawkins. David Doss relieved Christianson to get out of the inning, but ULL held the lead 6-4.
Fernandez took the hill in the eighth inning and last just three pitches. After getting ahead of Cunningham 0-2, Fernandez tried to sneak a fastball past Cunningham. For the second time in the game Cunningham ripped a home run to left field. The homer cut the Cajun lead to 6-5.
The Jag momentum didn’t last long as the Cajuns added to their lead in the top of the ninth. Parker led o with a single and was moved to second by a sacrifice by Van De Keere. Lucroy then hammered a triple off of the fence in left center field. The extra-base hit scored Parker and extended the Cajun lead to 7-5. Eric Gonzalez relieved Doss and promptly fanned Preciado for out number two. Tatford lined a ball to left field but Weaver misjudged it and was forced to attempt an over-the-shoulder catch. The ball went off his glove for an error and ULL had a three run lead.
The Jags put two runners on in the ninth and got Cunningham to the plate but were unable to muster the final big hit. Farquar got Cunningham to fly to center to end the game.
USA now pins its hopes to an at-large selection in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show will be Monday at 11:30 p.m. on ESPN.
