Box Score Daphne, AL - The United States Sports Academy's Baseball Team scored two 9th inning runs for a 4-3 come from behind victory over Xavier of Louisiana on Friday afternoon in Daphne.  Hayden Jones blasted a lead-off home-run in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game at 3-3. With one out Evan Jones drove a ball to deep left-center that nearly left the park but went off the centerfielder's glove for a double.  Pinch-hitter Jake Smithson was intentionally walked  and then Andre Poirrier had an infield single to load the bases.  Hayden Phillips hit a fly-ball to shallow center but the centerfielder dropped the ball as he hurried to catch and throw which allowed pinch runner Connor Fitzner to score the winning run.  Gio Perez pitched two innings of shutout relief to gain his first collegiate victory.

The Gold Rush got out to a 3-0 lead with a three-run second inning against Eagles starter Jaden Brown.  The Gold Rush had four hits in the inning with a two-run single by Miles Peterson.  Brown finished with four innings pitched, six hits, three runs, all earned while walking four batters.  Justin Graham followed Brown to the mound and gave USSA three hitless shutout innings while walking two.  Gio Perez pitched a scoreless 8th and 9th allowing no hits and striking out one.  "The performance by our bullpen was outstanding, giving us five hit-less shutout innings, said Eagles Head Coach Mike Neal"

The Eagles got on the board in the bottom of the third as Randy Hernandez knocked in Joe Monaghan who had a one-out double.  Dominick Hartman homered in the 6th to cut the lead to 3-2.  The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the 8th inning with one out but were unable to come up with a big hit.    The 9th inning was a different story as the Eagles rallied to move their record to 4-0.  This was the season opener for Xavier.

The two teams conclude the series with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at the Daphne Sports Complex.  Mitchel Sampson and Case Hager are not the slotted starters on the mound for the Eagles.

"There was no quit whatsoever in our dugout, when we got down 3-0, the volume got louder and guys were into the game, we used a bunch of the roster and we had some guys step up and perform well in the clutch," said Neal.