MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama piled up six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally past ULM Friday night, 6-2, at Stanky Field.
 
A bad bottom of the eighth inning overshadowed an otherwise well-pitched game by ULM (21-29 overall, 7-18 Sun Belt Conference). Cam Barlow and Chipper Menard combined to open the game with seven shutout innings, two hits and one walk. However, South Alabama had five-straight hits and seven consecutive batters reached base in the eighth inning.
 
Will Turner's RBI single brought in Tyler Borges to cut ULM's lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Brennan Holt then tied the game with an RBI bunt single to plate pinch runner Ryan Storey. Lucas Ismaili added an RBI single to score Turner for the 3-2 lead. USA kept piling on the runs against relievers Brandon Brewer and Carson Orton, with Micah Morgan's RBI single scoring Holt, a wild pitch bringing in Ismaili and Zach Shaw's balk plated Morgan for the 6-2 lead.
 
South Alabama's Gant Starling recorded three strikeouts in the ninth inning to end the game.
 
The two sides played a scoreless first six innings, but there was controversy on both sides in the early going.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, it appeared South Alabama's Rett Johnson hit a 2-out RBI double to score JG Bell. However, ULM threw the ball in from centerfield to first base and Johnson was called out for failing to touch first base, which was upheld upon review. The call took the run off the board for the Jaguars and the game remained scoreless.
 
In the top of the third inning, ULM's Jack Clark reached on a leadoff walk. With two outs and Clark on second, Michelle Artzberger singled to right field. Clark rounded third and tried to score on the play. However, the throw brought USA catcher Duncan Mathews up the third base line, and before Mathews had the ball, Clark collided with Mathews while trying to score. Clark was called out on the collision and kept the game scoreless.
 
ULM broke the stalemate in the seventh inning as Bryce Blaser and Jake Haggard hit back-to-back singles. Both players scored on Jayson Zmejkoski's 2-RBI triple off the top of the wall in left-center field, putting the Warhawks on top, 2-0.
 
Barlow threw four shutout innings in the start for ULM, allowing two hits with one walk and one strikeout. Menard fired 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts. Brewer (1-1) was charged with the loss, as he did not record an out and allowed four runs on four hits. Orton also did not record an out, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and a hit batter. Shaw recorded the final two outs of the six-run eighth inning with two strikeouts.
 
Cam Hill took a no-decision in the start for South Alabama, throwing six scoreless innings with three hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Jaxon Shineflew (2-0) was credited with the win after throwing two innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
 
Artzberger had three hits while Haggard added two for ULM. Ismaili had two hits for South Alabama.
 
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday.