MOBILE, Ala. – With just over a week until Sun Belt Conference play begins, University of South Alabama baseball will host its final non-conference series of the year this weekend when it hosts Columbia, March 11-14, at Stanky Field.
The four-game series will open Friday, March 11, at 6 p.m. at Stanky Field. It will continue Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by game three Sunday at 1 p.m. The series will conclude at 1 p.m. Monday at Stanky Field.
South Alabama (7-4) enters the weekend 2-3 in its last five games after taking two of three games at the Dairy Queen Classic in Tucson, Ariz., last weekend.
The Jaguars are batting .302 as a team heading into its four-game set against Columbia, led by Nolan Earley who leads the team in batting average (.409), hits (18), doubles (6), total bases (26), slugging percentage (.591) and on-base percentage (.490).
USA third baseman Jake Overstreet leads the Jags in runs scored (11), home runs (2) and RBI (14), and enters the weekend having made 164 consecutive starts at third base.
Jaguar right-hander Garrett Harris (2-0) is expected to start Friday’s contest against Columbia. Harris has struck out 16 batters and issued just three walks in 20 innings pitched, and carries a 2.70 ERA into the game. Opponents are batting just .211 against him.
Dustin Crenshaw (1-0) is scheduled to make his fourth start of the season on Saturday. The right-hander has not allowed a walk this season, which is tied for the Sun Belt Conference lead, and ranks second in the league in innings pitched (23.1). Crenshaw ranks sixth in the SBC in strikeouts (17), and is coming off his career-best outing when he set career highs in innings pitched (8) and strikeouts (7) in the Jaguars’ win over Washington State last weekend in the Dairy Queen Classic.
Columbia (2-1) enters the weekend having won two straight games in DeLand, Fla., over Central Michigan and Illinois. The Lions are batting just .260 as a team, however, the Columbia pitching staff boasts a 1.98 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched while opponents are hitting just .149 against them.
Columbia was picked to win the Ivy League’s Gehrig Division by Baseball America, and finished with the league’s best record last season.
Right-hander Pat Lowery, the 2010 Ivy League Pitcher of the Year, returns for his junior season after going 5-3 with a team-best ERA of 3.46 last year. Lowery led the Ivy League in innings pitched (65) and opponent batting average (.224) a year ago.Lowery (0-0) did not factor in the decision in the Lions’ season-opening loss to Stetson last weekend, and allowed three runs on just one hit while walking six and striking out three.
Dario Pizzano returns in the Columbia outfield after earning Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors last season. Pizzano batted .374 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI. Pizzano led the Ivy League in slugging percentage (.741) last season.
Both Pizzano and Lowery were named preseason all-conference by Baseball America.
Nick Cox leads the Ivy League in doubles (3) and RBI (6), and was named the conference’s player of the week last week after leading Columbia to two wins in DeLand. Cox is batting .375 and slugging .563 entering the weekend.
Nick Crucet returns after leading the Ivy League in stolen bases (17) last season, but has not stolen a base entering this weekend’s series.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s games will be broadcast on 105.5 FM WNSP in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.wnsp.com.
Live stats for every game of the series will be available at www.usajaguars.com.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
-USA-
South Alabama vs. Columbia
Fri., March 11 – Mon., March 14
Stanky Field
Game one – Fri., March 11 • 6 p.m.
USA – RHP Garrett Harris
CU – TBA
Game two – Sat., March 12 • 2 p.m.
USA – RHP Dustin Crenshaw
CU –
Game three – Sun., March 13 • 1 p.m.
USA – LHP Brad Hook
CU –
Game four – Mon., March 14 • 1 p.m.
USA – TBA
CU – TBA
