We've done it again.
5/19/02 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTH ALABAMA DOES IT AGAIN; WINS 11TH SUN BELT TITLE
PARKER DRIVES IN THREE; SPIVEY 5+ SCORELESS INNINGS OF RELIEF
CONTACT: Matt Smith
MOBILE, Ala. - Mel Spivey pitched scoreless relief for five plus innings and
Brett Parker drove in three runs to lead South Alabama to a 13-7 victory over
Western Kentucky en route to its 11th Sun Belt Conference championship on
Sunday afternoon at Nick Denes Field.
With the win, the Jaguars wrapped up the number one seed for this week's
conference tournament, which gets underway on Wednesday at Stanky Field. USA
opens the event against No. 8 seed Middle Tennessee at 6:30 p.m.
The No. 15 Jaguars (38-16, 17-5 SBC) won back-to-back regular season titles
for the fourth time in history and are one of five teams to ever claim
consecutive league titles. Western Kentucky, needing a three-game sweep to
win the crown, dropped to 36-18 and 14-9 in the SBC. The Hilltoppers come to
Mobile as the No. 3 seed and open the tournament 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday
against No. 6 seed New Mexico State.
"We're very proud of what these group of guys were able to accomplish," said
19-year Jaguar coach Steve Kittrell. "They clutched up when they had to. We
were very fortunate today. I'm so proud of these guys and the coaching staff."
USA scored in five of the first six innings and took a 2-0 lead into the
bottom of the second before WKU rallied. The Hilltoppers touched Jag starter
Caleb Crosby for four hits in the frame and chased him to the bench after
scoring three runs. Spivey was called on and put the fire out by forcing
Tanner Townsend to fly out to end the inning.
The Jags responded with a big inning of their own in the third. Erik
Smallwood, who tripled in the first and scored on a Jansen Rayborn sac-fly,
started the inning by homering to right, his 11th of the season. Kevin Sytko
singled later in the inning to give USA a 4-3 lead. Ryan Mulhern trotted home
on a wild pitch to push the margin to 5-3 and Parker capped the frame with a
two-run single to left as the Jags built a 7-3 cushion. USA put the game out
of reach in the sixth with another five-run inning. Jason Gross belted his
fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot off reliever Andy Baldwin, and T.J.
Touchstone increased the lead to 13-3 with a two-run double to left. Spivey
shut down the Hilltoppers from the second inning to the seventh, allowing
just two singles. The Daphne, Ala., senior won his third straight decision to
improve to 4-3.
"I was able to throw my off-speed pitches for strikes and that helped me
establish my fastball," Spivey said. "It's a great feeling to be part of a
championship team. We set a goal to win the Sun Belt, and though no one
picked us this year, we were confident we could reach it."
The Jags' 13-hit performance was led by Parker who went 2-for-4. Kevin Sytko
had three hits while Mulhern and Smallwood added two apiece.
SCORE BY INNINGS:
South Alabama 115 105 000 -- 13 - 13 - 0
Western Kentucky 030 000 022 -- 7 - 9 - 1
Caleb Crosby, Mel Spivey (2), Eric Thomas (8), Adam Wood (9) and Shane
Scoville, Josh Plaice. Miller, Baldwin (3), Hughes (6), Roiberg (8) and
Cattell, Polson. W - Spivey (4-3). L - Miller (2-5). HR - Smallwood (11),
Gross (5), Bearden (1). T - 2:56. A - 221.
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USA wins Sun Belt title
