Box Score

LAKE CHARLES, La. -- South Alabama pounded out 15 hits and stole seven bases and Oral Roberts' late rally fell short as the Jaguars defeated ORU 11-8 in the opening game of the McNeese State Lake Area Classic on Friday at Cowboy Diamond.

South Alabama (4-5) jumped on ORU starter Kris Kline (1-2) for five runs in the top of the third. The Jaguars increased their lead to 6-0 with a run in the top of the fourth before ORU (1-4) plated a single run in the bottom of the inning on Andy Hargrove's solo home run, his second of the year.

Down 6-1 the Golden Eagles trimmed the margin to 6-2 in the fifth when Ryan Welborn's sacrifice fly scored Scott Modeste. But the Jags came right back with two runs in the top of the sixth, chasing Kline from the game.

Grant Plumley's RBI single cut South Alabama's lead to 8-3 but again the Jaguars responded, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh off ORU reliever Sean Sorrow.

With the Jaguars leading 11-3, the Golden Eagles rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh and another run in the eighth. A pair of bases loaded walks, a David Castillo RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Plumley made it 11-6 after seven innings, and ORU trimmed the lead to 11-8 in the eighth on a Jaguar error.

The Golden Eagles went in order in the ninth.

Kline pitched 5.1 innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits, walking six and striking out none. Tommie Major (2-1) worked six solid innings to earn the win for USA.

Hargrove and Plumley each drove in two runs. Josh Lex went 2-for-3 with two doubles -- the only Golden Eagle with more than two hits -- and scored a pair of runs.

ORU returns to action when they take on host McNeese State, 5 p.m., Saturday.