LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Kevin Nabors allowed one run in eight innings, while striking out six, as USA took the nightcap of a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader with UALR, 10-1, at Gary Hogan Field Saturday evening. However, the Trojans earned a split by winning the first game, 11-10.
After losing the opener in disappointing fashion, South Alabama (19-16, 7-7) wasted no time in the second. The Jaguars hit two home runs in the top of the first -- one by David Doss with a runner on base and a solo shot by Ryan Bohanan -- to open a 3-0 lead. They added to the lead in the third on another two-run homer by Doss and made the score 7-0 in the fifth on a two-run double by Chris Davis.
The lead increased to 10-0 in the sixth after an RBI singles by Toomey and Bohanan around a groundout by Ryne Jernigan.
Nabors (3-3) lost his bid for a shutout in the eighth. The Trojans put runners on the corners with a double and single and the Jaguars conceded the run to turn a double play. Nabors scattered seven hits, while walking just three, to snap the Jaguars' five-game losing streak.
In the first game, UALR (8-23, 4-11) scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to reverse a 9-7 deficit. The Jaguars had taken the lead in the top of the frame after falling behing 6-0 after just one inning.
USA rallied to even the game with six runs of its own in the third. Doss singled with one out to start the rally, then went to second on a walk. Bohanan doubled down the right field line for the first run before Bunky Kateon hit a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 6-2. A bunt single by Derek O'Reilly drove in the third run, while Davis singled to left to cut the lead to 6-4. Jake Overstreet doubled to put runners at second and third and, after a passed ball made the score 6-5, scored the tying run on a bunt single by Ray Kruml.
UALR retook the lead in the fifth on a leadoff home run, but South came out swinging in the sixth, plating three runs. Toomey and Jernigan doubled to tie the game, before Ryan McCrory's pinch-hit double drove in a pair of runs for a 9-7 lead.
But a leadoff walk and infield single started the Trojans on a four-run sixth for an 11-9 lead. After a failed sacrifice attempt, three straight Trojans singled before a sacrifice fly capped the rally.
Three UALR errors in the seventh led to one South Alabama run, but the tying run was stranded at third when a strikeout and flyout ended the inning.
McCrory appeared to tie the game in the eighth with a solo home run to left field, but the umpires ruled the ball foul despite the protests of the Jaguar bench. South also left the tying run at third in the ninth, one of the nine runners left on during the contest.
Eric Gonzalez, who had been sharp in his last two starts, fell to 5-3 with the loss. He was charged with all 11 runs, giving up 13 hits in 5.1 innings.
"I am extremely disappointed in the loss in the first game," Head Coach Steve Kittrell said. "Little Rock jumped on us early, and I was happy battled back and took the lead. But we had a leadoff walk right away and you just can't do that. We are just not consistent.
"I thought it was really important when Kevin came out like he did in the second. He had great stuff and we swung the bats early. It is important for us to win this series with a victory tomorrow."
Toomey finished the second game 4-for-5 with three runs scored, while Bohanan added three hits. In the opener, Kruml and O'Reilly each had three of the Jaguars' 15 hits.
The Jaguars and Trojans wrap up their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Gary Hogan Field.
