Jags Defeat Mississippi State in Walk-Off Fashion in Extra Innings
The University of South Alabama baseball team toppled their third SEC opponent Tuesday night on a walk-off double in the bottom of the 11th inning to win 8-7.
The Jaguars fell behind 5-0 after the top half of the first inning. But they answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Cole Billingsley reached on an infield bunt to first base. He stole second and would later score on a two-out RBI single by Danny Martinez. A fielding error on a ball hit up the box by Cole Gleason allowed Jared Barnes, who reached base on a two-out walk, to score from second base to cut the Bulldog lead to 5-2. Adam Ballew drew a walk to load the bases, but a strikeout ended the inning without any more damage by the Jags.
USA tied the game in the bottom of the second inning after Ryan Raspino leadoff with a single. Later in the inning Matt Bolger hit a two-run triple to right-center field to cut the deficit to just one run. Barnes would groundout to second base but would plate Bolger to tie the game at 5-each.
The Bulldogs would retake the lead on a two-out two-run homer in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the fifth the Jags would tie the game again on a one-out, two run homer by Benn Gann, the first of his Jaguar career.
In the top of the ninth, the Bulldogs loaded the bases on three-consecutive one-out singles, but Jaguar righty Ben Taylor struck out the next batter then induced an inning-ending groundout to short.
The Bulldogs threatened again in the top of the 10th after a leadoff single by Brown and moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt. The Jags intentionally walked Gavin Collins to pitch to Humphreys, which grounded into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the 11th, Cameron Cummings and Adam Ballew drew back-to-back one-out walks. Then Gann smashed an 0-1 pitch to left-center field to score Cummings for the game winner.
Cody Van Aken threw two scoreless innings in relief to earn his second win of the season. He struck out two and issued only one walk. The Jags record improves to 19-10 while the Bulldogs fall to 19-12.
Gann went 2-for-6 with a double, a home run and a career high three RBI and one run scored to lead the Jags at the plate. Bolger finished 2-for-6 with a double, a triple, two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Barnes hit a double, an RBI and a run scored. Billingsley had a pair of hits with a run scored and a stolen base.
South Alabama will face Jackson State on Wednesday at Eddie Stanky Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:30pm.