MOBILE, Ala. - Arkansas State survived to live another day as the third-seeded Red Wolves used a two-run eighth to defeat the seventh-seeded South Alabama Jaguars 4-3 in the second of two elimination games on Thursday at the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship at Stanky Field.
Both starters, ASU's Bradley Wallace and USA's Locke St. John, pitched very well in the game, combining for just two earned runs allowed and 12 strikeouts. The defense was the culprit in the game as both teams had trouble with the ball. USA had three errors which lead to two A-State runs, while ASU had two errors leading to one USA run.
Tanner Ring led the way for the Red Wolves with two hits in four plate appearances, knocking in one RBI. Zach Maggio scored two runs for the Red Wolves. Lucas Feddersen knocked in the winning run for the Red Wolves on a single to left in the eighth inning.
Wallace (4-5) allowed just one earned run on seven hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks to earn the win for the Red Wolves (31-26) who will take on the winner of Thursday's finale between UT Arlington and Troy.
St. John (6-3) suffered the loss for the Jaguars (23-33) in 7 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
Cole Gleason went 3-for-5 with one RBI to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Garrett DeGallier finished 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored, and Bud Collura added two hits.
The Red Wolves took a one-run lead in the top of the first inning after Maggio reached on a leadoff walk to begin the game. Maggio advanced to second on a throwing-error by St. John on a faield pick-off attempt. Ring then singled in Maggio to put the Red Wolves up 1-0 early on.
USA would knot the game at one in the bottom half of the first inning when the Jags loaded the bases in the bottom of the first on three consecutive singles from DeGallier, Collura and Gleason. Erik Hindmon then reached on a fielder's choice that scored DeGallier and tied the game 1-1.
USA took the lead in the bottom of the fourth as DeGallier reached on a two-base fielding error by ASU first baseman Matt Burgess to lead off the inning. Connor Hawthorne delivered a two-out RBI single to right field later in the inning, scoring DeGallier and giving the Jags a 2-1 lead.
A-State tied the game at two apiece with two outs in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Derek Birginske. Austin Baker followed with an RBI single to center as the Red Wolves took a 3-2 lead. The Red Wolves added their final run in the top of the ninth. Stuart Levy reached on a one-out single to right field, and moved to second when Cameron Cummings mishandled the ball in the gap. A two-out RBI single to center field by Feddersen doubled the ASU lead to 4-2.
The Jaguars threatened in the bottom half of the ninth as DeGallier doubled down the left field line with one out. Collura then flied out bringing Gleason to the plate with two outs, who singled to right center, scoring DeGallier. Hawthorne flied out to left ending the threat and the game.