Jags sweep LA-Monroe

MONROE, La. (WALA) - Jarron Cito tossed 8 2/3 innings and struck out eight Warhawk batters to lead University of South Alabama baseball to an 8-1 win.

The win secures a series sweep over Louisiana at Monroe in Sun Belt Conference action Sunday afternoon at Warhawk Field.

Cito (2-2) allowed just one run on six hits while striking out eight and issuing three walks to earn his second win of the season.

“Jarron Cito was outstanding today,” USA head coach Mark Calvi said. “He worked fast, threw strikes and kept their hitters off balance. He made pitches when he needed to. I wish he could have gotten a complete game, but his pitch count got a little high – he did enough for us today and it was time to get him out at the end of the game.”

Nick Zaharion went 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Brad Hook went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Nolan Earley and Brent Mitchell had two hits and one run scored apiece. Jordan Patterson added a double, two RBI and two runs scored.

“(Nick) Zaharion with his two home runs today was huge. He got us on the board early. Their guy (Andrew Richardson) was doing a good job. Our guys, situationally, played great baseball offensively. We swung the bats really well for the most part all weekend. We executed our hit-and-runs, and we’re jelling as a team offensively. Hopefully we will continue to do good things as a team,” said Calvi.

South Alabama (9-14, 5-1 SBC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Zaharion led off the frame with a solo shot over the left-field wall.

ULM threatened in the bottom of the fifth after a one-out double by Brandon Alexander, Les Aulds reached on a hit by pitch and Jeremy Sy drew a walk. But Cito induced an inning-ending groundout to shortstop off the bat of Caleb Clowers to end the threat.

The Jags then scored two runs in the top of the sixth on a throwing error by ULM reliever Wil Browning. Whitt Dorsey hit a line drive back at Browning that knocked the right-hander’s glove off. Browning scrambled to recover the ball and had his throw to third base sail wide of the bag to allow Mitchell and Patterson to score.

Dorsey scored later in the inning on an RBI single by Hook to increase the USA lead to 4-0.

South Alabama doubled its lead to 8-0 in the top of the ninth on a two-run double by Patterson and a two-run homer to left field by Zaharion.

ULM (13-11, 1-5 SBC) scored its lone run of the game on an RBI single by Trent Lucas in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Warhawk right-hander Andrew Richardson (0-2) took the loss in five innings pitched, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

South Alabama will return to action Tue., March 27, when it travels to Wichita, Kan., for the first of two midweek contests against Wichita State.