MONROE, La. - A four-run third inning
propelled South Alabama to an 11-3 win over the ULM baseball team Saturday
night at Warhawk Field. The victory
insured the series win for the Jaguars after the visitors won an explosive
20-13 decision on Friday.
South Alabama (8-14, 4-1 SBC) utilized
singles from Whitt Dorsey and Brad Hook and a wild pitch from starter Cale Wine
(4-2) to move runners into scoring position in the top of the second
inning. Wine responded by punching out
Hunt Griffith looking for the frame's final out.
A Jordan Patterson double to right field off
Wine with two outs in the top of the third scored Brent Mitchell and gave the
Jaguars a 1-0 lead. Nick Zaharion
followed two batters later with a three-run home run to left field to extend
the South Alabama lead to 4-0.
The Jaguars added two runs in the top half of
the fourth inning to open the cushion to six (6-0). Nolan Earley drove a single over the head of Taylor
Abdalla in left field to score Hook for the inning's first run before Mitchell
followed with an RBI single down the left field line.
ULM (13-10, 1-4 SBC) got its first hit of the
ballgame on a solid single by Caleb Clowers up the middle in the bottom of the
fourth. Consecutive fly ball outs by
Joey Rapp and Corben Green halted the offensive rally.
The Warhawks finally broke through in the
bottom of the fifth inning on the strength of a two-run opposite field home run
off the bat of Abdalla to cut the deficit to 6-2. A deep double to left from Jeremy Sy scored
Les Aulds and trimmed the gap to three runs (6-3).
Sy led the ULM offense with two hits and one
RBI. Abdalla added two RBIs and a run scored
on his third home run of the season in the fifth inning.
South Alabama struck for three runs in the
top of the seventh inning, all coming on an opposite field home run by Dustin
Dalken to left field that stretched the Jaguar lead to six (9-3). Reliever Fraser Adams picked up the final two
ULM outs to escape the inning without further damage.
Logan Fiasco and Aulds each drew walks to
lead off the bottom of the seventh inning.
South Alabama starter Anthony Izzio (4-0) struck out Sy swinging for the
frame's first out. Reliever Kyle Bartsch
forced Clowers to fly out to left and Rapp to strike out swinging to close the
seventh inning.
Patterson finished the game 3-for-5 at the
plate to pace South Alabama, adding three RBIs and two runs scored. Zaharion, Griffith and Hook each added a pair
of base hits. Izzio allowed three earned
runs in his 6.1 innings pitched, walking three and striking out six to remain
undefeated in 2012.
The two teams are scheduled to meet in the
series finale at Warhawk Field Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
