South Alabama was down by three runs before it even got an out Sunday vs. UAB, but chipped away for a 7-6 victory in the final game of the Jaguar Classic at Stanky Field.

South Alabama (3-1) scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the seventh, then tacked on two more on Cole Ketnzer’s RBI single in the eight to take a 7-4 lead into the night. UAB (1-2) took advantage of a leadoff error and then strung together three straight singles to pull within one, but Jaguars closer Grant Wood retired the final two batters to finish off his second save in three days.

“We pitched and we played pretty good defense,” South Alabama coach Mark Calvi said. “I hate that error at the end, but when a game is in the balance like that, you’ve got to pitch, play good defense and just stay calm. You’ve got to get some timely hits and just keep playing. We got knocked in the mouth early … but our guys just kept playing.

“It was a really good weekend for us.”

After beating Northwestern State 3-2 on Friday night and splitting a doubleheader with Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, the Jaguars used five pitchers against the Blazers on Sunday. Starter Jackson Boyd gave up three runs in one inning and Zach Harlan another run in 2 1/3, but Logan Wash, Danny Diaz and Wood combined to not allow an earned run the rest of the way.

UAB got to Boyd for John Michael Mullins’ infield single, Ben Abernathy’s single to left and Christian Hall’s towering three-run homer to right-center field for a 3-0 lead in the first. Boyd got out of the inning without further damage, and the Jaguars began to rally in the second.

RBI doubles by Tyler Borges and Will Turner in the second and third vs. UAB starter Brooks Walton cut the Blazers’ lead to 3-2, but Mullins’ RBI single in the fourth off Harlan put UAB back up by two. In the bottom of the fourth, Erick Orbeta tripled off the wall in right-center to score Borges, and later came home on Austin Thrasher’s infield grounder to tie game.

“We just kept our composure throughout the whole game,” said Orbeta, who was 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the game. “Nobody got up, nobody got down. We just kept an even keel and that was the key to success today.”

Wash and Diaz held UAB at bay through the middle innings, allowing South Alabama to take the lead in the seventh. Mitchell Heer led off with a double, then reached third on an infield grounder before coming home on a wild pitch to put the Jaguars on top 5-4.

After Wood retired the Blazers on two strikeouts and a caught stealing in the eighth, the Jaguars padded their lead after loading the bases with two outs in the bottom. Ketzner blooped a 1-2 pitch from UAB’s Chase Ingram over shortstop to score both Turner and Herr and make it 7-4.

Wood came back out for the ninth, but shortstop JG Bell threw wildly to first on Darryl Buggs’ leadoff grounder. Pinch-hitter Nick Holifield struck out, but Mullins, Abernathy and Hall singled in succession to score two runs and make it a one-run game with the tying run on third.

Wood then struck out Blazers cleanup hitter Brayton Brown on a checked swing for the second out, before Logan Braunschweig lined out to left to end the game. Wood allowed two unearned runs on three hits, walking one and striking out four.

“The second inning is tough, man,” Wood said. “It was a little different today because we got two in the eighth. Overall, nothing should change, but the second inning is definitely tougher. … They didn’t really hit the ball hard, but they hit it where we weren’t. That’s part of the game.”

Diaz (1-0) got the win with 1-2/3 hitless innings. Tyler Haines (0-1) took the loss for UAB, allowing a run on two hits in 1 1/3.

Hall led UAB at the plate with three hits and four RBIs, while Mullins also had three hits, an RBI and two runs. Abernathy added two hits, an RBI and a run scored, but the rest of the Blazers’ lineup combined for just three hits.

South Alabama put 21 runners on base — with 14 hits, including five doubles and a triple — in eight innings against seven UAB pitchers. In addition to Orbeta’s big day, Turner was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Heer was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Ketzner was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Borges was 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.

“We left some guys on, but I’m proud of guys’ fight,” Calvi said. “We scored one more than they did, and that’s all that matters.”

South Alabama hosts Nicholls State on Wednesday. UAB stays on the road at Vanderbilt the same day.