South Alabama opened its baseball season with a 16-7 win over USC Upstate on Friday night in Mobile, Alabama. The Jaguars’ offense was strong throughout the game, highlighted by several home runs and timely hitting.
Duncan Mathews started the scoring for South Alabama with a 409-foot home run in his first at-bat of the season. Starting pitcher Mitchell Heer delivered three scoreless innings before senior Mike Young hit a three-run home run, giving the Jaguars an early 7-0 lead.
After loading the bases with no outs, South Alabama brought in left-handed pitcher Jaxon Shineflew. He struck out two batters before allowing a single to Maloy Heaghney of USC Upstate, who drove in two runs.
The Jaguars continued their offensive production with key hits from Brennon Wright and Ethan Melton. Wright’s double down the left field line drove in two runs during the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, Melton cleared the bases with another double, bringing in three more runs.
Both teams scored four runs each in the eighth inning. Senior right-hander Andrew Floyd pitched a perfect ninth inning to close out the game for South Alabama.
Key individual performances included Duncan Mathews going 1-for-3 with two walks and scoring twice. Mike Young came close to hitting for the cycle, finishing 3-for-5 with a homer, triple, single, and four runs scored. Marc Stephens, Blake Guerin, and Rett Johnson each contributed doubles as part of five total doubles for South Alabama on the day. Jaxon Shineflew earned the win after pitching four innings and recording six strikeouts.
Head coach Mark Calvi commented on his team’s performance: “Our returners are a huge part of who we are. They’re leaders. They fed off each other and played with each other really well, and the energy and the dugout was outstanding.”
Calvi also praised Jaxon Shineflew’s composure: “When he came in, he had the look in his eye with the bases loaded. He knew the game was on the line right there, and he was at his best.”
South Alabama will play its next game against USC Upstate at 2:00 p.m. Saturday. Junior Max Miller is set to make his debut as starting pitcher for South Alabama while Brent Stukes is expected to start for USC Upstate.
Fans can follow University of South Alabama baseball updates on social media or visit USAJaguars.com for more information about upcoming games.
