MOBILE, Ala. – After splitting a pair of midweek games, the University of South Alabama baseball team will host Louisiana-Monroe in its first Sun Belt Conference home series of the season this weekend at Stanky Field.
The series will open Friday night at 6 p.m. with South Alabama right-hander Garrett Harris (3-0) going against ULM right-hander Drew Granier (2-0). Saturday’s 6 p.m. contest will feature Jaguar right-hander Dustin Crenshaw (3-0) matched against ULM left-hander Randy Ziegler (2-1) . The series will conclude Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. wiith USA left-hander Brad Hook (0-2) going against Warhawk right-hander Wil Browning (2-1).
South Alabama (11-9, 1-2 SBC) is 5-5 in its last 10 games and 2-3 in its last five, following a 4-2 win over Jackson State Tuesday night at Stanky Field and a 15-3 loss at Southern Miss on Wednesday. The Jaguars dropped two of three games at Troy last weekend to open SBC play.
USA carries a .289 team batting average and 5.54 ERA into the weekend, while ULM is batting .292 as a team with a 4.53 ERA.
“They (Louisiana-Monroe) are having a very good year,” South Alabama head coach Steve Kittrell said. “They’re hot and playing well. They have good pitching and a couple of dangerous hitters in their lineup. We need to improve in all phases this weekend. Our starting pitching has been outstanding for most of the season, so hopefully they can go deep this weekend, but our bullpen has to help us when we need them.
“Our offense is very erratic right now. We have to settle down and be more consistent in every facet. We need to be better on the bases and cut down on our strikeouts and put the ball in play more consistently.”
The Jaguars are 16-9 all-time against Louisiana-Monroe, and took two of three games at Stanky Field last season. South Alabama has won six of its last seven regular season contests against the Warhawks, dating back to 2008. ULM has not taken a SBC series against the Jags since 2007, when they swept USA in Monroe, La. South Alabama is 13-5 all-time in regular season games against the Warhawks at Stanky Field.
Harris enters Friday’s game 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA, and has struck out an SBC-leading 35 batters this season. Harris ranks third in the league in ERA and innings pitched (36.0), and ranks fourth in opposing batting average (.195). The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 21 innings pitched at Stanky Field this season. Harris has struck out 19 and issued four walks while limiting opponents to a .167 batting average at home this year.
Crenshaw leads the SBC with 38 1/3 innings pitched this season, and is coming off a career-best outing in which the right-hander tossed a complete game in a 10-4 win at Troy last weekend. Crenshaw has not issued a walk this season, which is tied for the league lead, and has struck out 24 batters in six appearances.
Hook will be in search of his first win this season, however, the left-hander has posted quality starts in two of his three starts this year. He enters Sunday’s game with a 3.74 ERA in 21 2/3 innings pitched.
USA catcher Brent Tanner leads the Jaguars in batting average (.360) and on-base percentage (.467), and is tied for the team lead in home runs with two. Tanner also leads South Alabama with nine multiple-hit games this season.
Jaguar shortstop Logan Kirkland ranks second on the team in batting average (.355), and carries a six-game hitting streak into the weekend series. Tanner and Jordan Patterson have hit safely in five consecutive games entering the weekend.
ULM is 7-3 in its last 10 games entering the weekend, and 3-2 in its last five. The Warhawks also split a pair of midweek games in Monroe with a 7-2 win over Southern Miss Tuesday night and a 5-3 loss to Northwestern State in 10 innings Wednesday evening.
Granier leads the Sun Belt in opposing batting average (.173), and ranks second in ERA (1.45) and runs allowed (5). The right-hander carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning in last Friday’s conference opener at Louisiana-Lafayette, and was named the SBC Pitcher of the Week for his efforts. Granier tossed a complete game in the win over ULL, marking his second complete game in as many starts. He has struck out 30 batters in 31 innings pitched, and has issued 12 walks in five starts this season.
ULM is led offensively by Corben Green, who leads the SBC in batting average (.491) and slugging percentage (.719), and ranks second in on-base percentage (.547), however he has not played since suffering an injury March 12 against Southern Utah. First baseman Joey Rapp is tied for the league lead in home runs (4), and ranks third in the conference in slugging percentage (.603).
All three games of this weekend’s series 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. Louisiana-Monroe
March 25-27 • Stanky Field
Probable Starting Pitchers
Fri., March 25 – 6 p.m.
USA – Garrett Harris (Sr., RHP)
ULM – Drew Granier (Sr., RHP)
Sat., March 26 – 6 p.m.
USA – Dustin Crenshaw (Sr., RHP)
ULM – Randy Zeigler (So., LHP)
Sun., March 27 – 1 p.m.
USA – Brad Hook (Jr., LHP)
ULM – Wil Browning (Sr., RHP)
