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Box Score 2 New Orleans, LA - The United States Sports University fought back from an early deficit to take a series-clinching 12-11 win over the Gold Rush of Xavier of Louisiana at Skelly-Rupp Stadium in Algiers, Louisiana on Sunday.
Ray Hernandez pitched the final two innings to pick up his first save of the season. Xavier took a 4-0 lead in the first off of Eagles starter
Case Hager. USSU began to chip away at the lead in the second inning as Dom Hartman walked and stole second and then scored on a two-out single by
Chase Jones to make it 4-1. Hager was able to notch scoreless innings in the second and third as the Eagles took the lead with a four-run third inning.
Hayden Phillips' two-out, two-run single gave USSU a 5-4 lead. The Eagles plated two more in the top of the 4th inning as Joe Monaghan and
Hayden Jones had RBI hits in the inning to lead 7-4.
The Gold Rush cut the lead to 7-6 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. After a scoreless 5th inning by both teams, Xavier tied the game at 7-7 with a run off of reliever
Ryan Carson. USSU took an 8-7 lead in the top of the 7th inning on an RBI double from
Weston Brock. Xavier answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the 7th retaking the lead at 9-8. The Eagles answered back with two runs in the top of the 8th inning as Phillips delivered his second two-out, two-run hit.
Ray Hernandez entered the game and pitched a scoreless 8th inning before the Eagles plated two more crucial insurance runs in the top half of the 9th inning.
Evan Jacob had a two-run single to give USSU a 12-9 lead entering the bottom of the ninth. Back to back hits by the Gold Rush cut the lead to 12-10 but Hernandez retired the final three batters, including an RBI ground-out, to earn the save.
"What a tremendous week
Ray Hernandez had for us,!" said Eagles Head Coach Mike Neal. Ray pitched a complete game on Wednesday at Dillard and followed that up with a two inning save to really give us a huge boost," said Neal.
USSU is now 15-9 on the season and will host Southern University of New Orleans on Wednesday in Daphne in a 12 noon doubleheader.
