MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team hosts Western Kentucky in its Sun Belt Conference home opener this weekend at Jaguar Field.

The first pitch is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday followed by a 3 p.m. game. The series will conclude Sunday at noon.
 
USA (21-5, 2-1 SBC) enters the weekend after falling to Florida State 6-0 Wednesday in a midweek game. Haley Hopkins recorded the only hit for the Jaguars against the Seminoles.

South Alabama has a team batting average of .330 while out-hitting opponents 226-138. Freshman Hannah Campbell (7-3) has pitched 72.1 innings for the Jaguars, striking out 64 batters. Sophomore pitcher Morgan Druhan leads the Jags in the circle striking out 87 batters in 57 innings of work.

First baseman Meghan Collins continues to lead the Jags at the plate with a .463 batting average and a .550 on base percentage. She has also recorded 31 hits and 19 runs this season.

Sophomore Brittany Fowler has a team-leading 33 hits and a .662 slugging percentage.

WKU (15-8, 0-0 SBC) has faced the Jaguars 11 times in the series and has an 8-3 all-time series lead over the Jags. The Lady Toppers are 3-0 against the Jags at the WKU Softball Complex, 4-2 at Jaguar Field and are 1-1 in neutral site games. South Alabama faced WKU in the SBC tournament twice in 2009, with a 1-1 record and five times in the 2009 season with a record of 3-2 in 2009. The first time the two teams met was in 2007 in Mobile, Ala., where the Lady Toppers took the series 2-1.

Saturday’s game will be the 19th road game for the Lady Toppers who enter the weekend with a 2-4 record at away games and an 11-1 record in neutral site games. WKU enters the series after defeating Tennessee State 13-4 Wednesday on the road.

The Lady Toppers have three batters hitting over .300 led by Amanda Thomas (.338), Kelsi Mattox (.317) and Katrina Metoyer (.304).

Mallorie Sulaski (6-2) leads the WKU pitching staff with a 1.21 ERA, striking out 33 batters in 58 innings. Kim Wagner (7-4) has struck out a team-leading 58 batters in 70 innings. 

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).

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