MOBILE, Ala. – ULM built a 3-0 lead through four innings, but South Alabama rallied to force extra innings before picking up a walk-off win to claim the series, 4-3 in 13 innings, Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field.
 
ULM (22-30 overall, 8-19 Sun Belt Conference) took the lead in the second inning on Carson Jones' two-out RBI double off the left-center field wall, scoring Hasani Johnson to go ahead 1-0. Two innings later, Jones struck again with another two-out RBI double to left center, plating Jake Haggard for the 2-0 lead. Easton Winfield followed in the fourth with his own two-out RBI single to bring in Jones to push the lead to 3-0.
 
Beau Blanchard was sharp in the start for ULM, throwing a season-high six innings, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. The only run he allowed came in the sixth inning, when Lucas Ishmaili hit his team-best 10th home run of the season for South Alabama, starting the Jaguar rally to make it 3-1.
 
The Jaguars put the pressure on the ULM bullpen in the seventh inning. Jacob Haley led off the inning with a single but was picked off of first base by catcher Matt Abshire. Tyler Borges followed with a single before Rett Johnson flew out for the second out of the inning. However, back-to-back walks to Duncan Mathews and Will Turner loaded the bases before Brennan Holt was hit by a pitch to force in a run to cut the deficit to 3-2. Chipper Menard then struck out Ismaili to end the inning.
 
ULM had a chance to add to the lead in the top of the eighth inning, as Carson Jones reached on an error with one out and moved to third base on a passed ball  and a wild pitch. After a groundout and back-to-back walks to load the bases, the Warhawks were unable to add to the lead when Bryce Blaser struck out to end the inning.
 
Carson Orton worked a perfect bottom of the eighth inning to keep the 3-2 lead.
 
After a double play cut ULM's half of the ninth short, South Alabama went to work in the bottom of the ninth inning. After Easton Winfield made a diving catch in left field for the first out of the inning, back-to-back walks put the potential game-tying and game-winning runs on base for USA. Turner hit a fly ball to center, which Blaser made a diving attempt at but missed, as the tying run scored and potential winning run moved to third and Turner to second. However, after an intentional walk, Orton fielded a bunt attempt by Hunter Donaldson with his bare hand and threw home for the second out of the inning and got Micah Morgan to foul out to first to end the inning, sending the game to extra innings.
 
ULM was unable to move a runner past first base in any of the four extra innings. Meanwhile, Zach Shaw threw three scoreless innings with a career-high six strikeouts before running into trouble in the 13th. Borges walked to open the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Johnson. Nathan Wood's RBI single to center brought in Borges to win the game for South Alabama.
 
Zach Willingham (1-1) earned his first win of the season by throwing the final 3 2/3 innings for South Alabama, allowing one hit with one walk and six strikeouts. Grant Wood threw three scoreless innings out of the bullpen with one hit and four strikeouts, while Logan Wash also threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Jaguars as ULM was held scoreless over the final nine innings of the game.
 
Shaw (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts and one walk in 3 1/3 innings.
 
Jones had two hits and two RBIs to lead ULM while Haggard also tallied two hits. Holt had two hits and an RBI for USA, while Haley and Borges also had two hits each.
 
ULM closes out the season with a three-game series against Arkansas State starting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lou St. Amant Field.