STATESBORO, Ga. – Nick Jones recorded his nation leading 13^th save on Sunday afternoon, as Georgia Southern defeated South Alabama 7-6 to take the series from the Jaguars. The Eagles improved to 27-16 on the season and 11-7 in conference play, while South Alabama falls to 25-16 and 12-6 in conference play.
 
Jay Thompson earned his third win of the week, pitching for the second consecutive day to improve to 6-0 on the year. Thompson worked one inning of hitless baseball, walking one batter and striking out one. Griffin Davis followed up with three shutdown innings to keep the Eagles ahead before Nick Jones closed it out in the ninth.
 
South Alabama threw the first punch in Sunday's rubber match, homering in the first to take a 2-0 lead. In the bottom half the Eagles responded with two of their own as Noah Ledford was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Austin Thompson flew out to left field. The Eagles ran off JoJo Booker, the starting pitcher for the Jaguars, as he failed to record an out.
 
In the second GS would extend its lead to 3-2 with a Mason McWhorter sacrifice fly to left. The very next inning Jarrett Brown would single through the left side to score Austin Thompson and increase the lead to 4-2.
 
South Alabama would not go away, scoring three runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead from the Eagles. In the fifth, GS would take it right back as Jason Swan flied out to center field and Parker Biederer singled through the right side. The Eagles would push the lead to 7-5 with McWhorter scoring on a wild pitch in the eighth. South Alabama threatened in the ninth scoring a run, but Nick Jones would close the door to give the Eagles a series victory.
 
 
SCORING MOMENTS
TOP 1^st | GS 0 – USA 2 | South homers to take the lead. 
BOTTOM 1^st | GS 2 – USA 2 | Noah Ledford was hit by a pitch to score the first run of the inning. Austin Thompson flies out to left field to score Mason McWhorter. 
BOTTOM 2^nd | GS 3 – USA 2 | Mason McWhorter flies out to left field to score Jason Swan.
BOTTOM 3^rd | GS 4 – USA 2 | Jarrett Brown singles through the left side to score Austin Thompson from third.
TOP 4^th | GS 4 – USA 5 | South regains the lead in the fourth. 
BOTTOM 5^th | GS 6 – USA 5 | Jason Swan flies out to center field to score JP Tighe from third. Parker Biederer singles through the right side to score Jarrett Brown.
BOTTOM 8^th | GS 7 – USA 5 | Mason McWhorter scored on a wild pitch. 
TOP 9^th | GS 7 – USA 6 | South cuts the lead to one. 
 
 
GAME NOTES

• GS is now just one game out of first place in the East Division.
• Jay Thompson improved to 6-0 on the season, tying Tyler Owens for the team lead. Thompson was a perfect 3-0 this week.
• Mason McWhorter tied the school record for doubles with his 66^th in the eighth. McWhorter finished the afternoon with a 2-for-3 line scoring two runs and driving in one RBI.
• Nick Jones collected his nation leading 13^th save on Sunday afternoon.
• Six different Eagles recorded an RBI in Sunday's victory over South Alabama.

 
 
UP NEXT
Georgia Southern will have the week off before heading to Jonesboro, Arkansas to take on Arkansas State. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.