JAGS DEFEAT ALABAMA A&M IN MIDWEEK ACTION
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team defeated Alabama A&M 11-1 Wednesday at Stanky Field.

USA right-hander Jason Lott (1-0) allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts in five innings pitched to earn the win in his first career start. AAMU right-hander Blaine Milan (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits with one walk in two innings pitched in the loss.

USA (4-0) pushed across the game's first runs in the bottom of the third. Paul Russo led off the inning with a single to left field, and moved to second on walk by Travis Swaggerty. Will Luft followed with an RBI double to right field to score Russo with the game's first run. Eddie Paparella then delivered a two-run single to left-center field to extend the Jaguar lead to 3-0. Cam Cummings followed with a one-out RBI single to left-center to score Paparella for a 4-0 USA advantage.

Alabama A&M (2-3) answered with a run in the top of the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single to left field by Carson McGregory to cut the USA lead to 4-1.

South Alabama added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. An RBI groundout to first base by Cummings plated Luft, who led off the inning with a walk, for a 5-1 advantage. A two-out pinch-hit RBI single back up the middle by Colton Thomas pushed the Jaguar lead to 6-1.

A one-out RBI single to right field by Wells Davis in the bottom of the sixth extend the USA advantage to 7-1, and a pair of two-out RBI doubles by Drew LaBounty and Russo and a two-run home run to right-center field by Travis Swaggerty in the bottom of the seventh inning pushed the Jag lead to 11-1.

Paparella went 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Swaggerty finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases and Luft went 2-for-4 with one double, one triple, one RBI and two runs scored. McGregory finished 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI to lead the Bulldogs offensively.

"The good thing is that we're 4-0," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "I thought (Jason) Lott was okay in his first start; I have seen him much better in the fall. But all-in-all we only walked one guy and they (Alabama A&M) only scored one run so you take it. We did some things in there which we will correct. Offensively we gave some at-bats away, but we'll fix that moving forward. We'll take a win. I am happy that our guys responded. No game is easy, you just have to play the right way and hopefully things go your way."

USA will return to action this weekend when it travels to Waco, Texas, for a three-game series with Baylor.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

No. 18 Coastal Cruises to 16-7 Win Versus Charleston
CONWAY - Wood Myers and Dalton Ewing each hit three-run home runs to lead #18 Coastal Carolina to a 16-7 victory over the College of Charleston Wednesday evening at Springs Brooks Stadium.

With the win, Coastal (2-3) snaps a three-game skid and avoided its first four-game losing streak since the end of the 2014 season. The Cougars fall to 2-2.

Myers and Ewing each finished with a career-high four RBI. Kevin Woodall Jr., added three RBI while Cory Wood and Seth Lancaster each scored three times.

CCU's Anthony Veneziano (1-0) was credited with the win despite exiting the game after a leadoff single in the fifth. The freshman, who was on a pitch count, allowed six hits, two runs and two walks with three strikeouts.

The College of Charleston loaded the bases thanks to three infield hits with two outs, but Veneziano escaped by getting a strikeout.

Coastal took advantage of two walks, two stolen bases and an error to take a 3-0 in the bottom of the first. Wood drew a leadoff walk, stole second and took third on a Cooke ground out. Lancaster followed with an RBI single through the right side of the infield to bring home Wood. A throwing error on a failed pickoff at first moved Lancaster to third and Woodall plated Lancaster. With the bases clear, Myers walked with two outs, stole second and scored an RBI single by Peyton Isaacson.

The Cougars had Veneziano on the ropes again in the second, but only managed one run. Seth Wall and Tommy Richter started the frame with back-to-back walks and Luke Manzo laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. Depress Hart followed with an RBI single while putting runners on the corners. Erven Roper hit a chopper to third, but Lancaster was able to throw Richter out at home for the second out. Another ground out kept it a 3-1 game.

The Chants pushed their advantage to 6-1 in the third. Cooke was hit by a pitch and Lancaster walked to start the home half. On a double steal, the Cougar error allowed Cooke to score and moved Lancaster to third. Two batters later, Myers reached on a fielder's choice as Lancaster slid under the tag at home. A single by Isaacson allowed Myers to take third before Ewing executed a squeeze bunt to score Myers for the five-run cushion.

Coastal exploded for five runs in the fourth. With bases loaded, Woodall hit an two-run double down the left field line and Myers followed with a three-run home run. It marked his first home run as a Chanticleer and the second on his collegiate career.

In the fifth inning with bases loaded, Logan McRae snuck a grand slam inside the left field foul pole to cut the Cougars deficit to six, 11-5. However, Coastal answered with two runs in the bottom half. Beaird had a leadoff double, moved to third on a Gore bunt single and scored on Wood RBI fielder's choice. Wood then stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a Cooke single.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ewing and CofC pitcher Will Detwiler were locked in a battle during a 14-pitch at bat that included nine foul balls from Ewing. However, Ewing would come out on top as he drilled a three-run home run to left field to put the Chants up 16-5.

The Cougars took advantage of a CCU error on what would have been the third out of the inning, but a drop allowed a run to score. Manzo followed with an RBI single to make the score 16-7.

Coastal Carolina will return to action this weekend by hosting the eighth-annual Caravelle Resort Tournament. The Chants will face Ball State on Friday (4 pm), West Virginia on Saturday (2 pm), George Mason on Sunday (1 pm) and West Virginia on Monday (Noon).