MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team will continue Sun Belt Conference play this weekend when it travels to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for a three-game set with Middle Tennessee beginning Friday at 6 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

Saturday’s contest, scheduled for 3 p.m., will be broadcast on CSS and will mark the Jaguars’ only regular season television appearance this year. The series will conclude Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. All three games of the series will be broadcast on WNSP 105.5 FM in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.wnsp.com.

South Alabama (13-11, 3-3 SBC) enters the weekend winners of two of its last three games. The Jaguars took the final two games of their SBC series against the University of Louisiana at Monroe last weekend at Stanky Field, before falling to Alabama 4-3 Wednesday evening in Tuscaloosa.

USA will open play this weekend in a three-way tie for fourth place in the SBC standings with ULM and Louisiana-Lafayette. Middle Tennessee (6-17, 0-6 SBC) enters the weekend in last place in the SBC after being swept the first two weeks of conference play by Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic.

Middle Tennessee fell to David Lipscomb 2-1 Tuesday before rebounding to defeat Austin Peay 9-6 Wednesday evening.

South Alabama holds a 35-17 all-time series lead over the Blue Raiders after taking two of three games in Murfreesboro last season. The Jags are 11-6 all-time in Murfreesboro. USA head coach Steve Kittrell is 30-17 all-time against Middle Tennessee.

South Alabama last swept the Blue Raiders in three games back in 2006, and have not swept MTSU in Murfreesboro since 1972 when they won two consecutive games. USA has never swept a three-game series at Middle Tennessee. Since the Blue Raiders joined the Sun Belt in 2001, South Alabama holds a 21-13 series lead.

The Jaguars are batting .286 as a team entering the weekend, while Middle Tennessee is batting .281. USA is 2-5 in road games this season, while the Blue Raiders are 2-7 at home.

USA right-hander Garrett Harris (3-1) carries a 2.05 ERA into Friday night’s contest, and leads the SBC in strikeouts with 42 in 44 innings pitched. Harris will be matched against Middle Tennessee right-hander Daniel Palo (0-3), who carries a 6.43 ERA into Friday’s contest.

Jaguar right-hander Dustin Crenshaw (4-0) will square off with Blue Raider right-hander Hunter Adkins (0-5) in Saturday’s televised game. Crenshaw has recorded 32 strikeouts without issuing a walk in 44 1/3 innings this season, and leads the SBC in walks allowed and innings pitched. Adkins carries a 6.69 ERA into the game, while opponents are hitting .307 against him.

Sunday’s contest will feature USA left-hander Brad Hook (1-2) going against Middle Tennessee right-hander Eric Gilley (1-3). Hook tossed a complete game last weekend to lead the Jags to a series-clinching win over ULM. Gilley carries a 5.35 ERA in 33 2/3 innings pitched into the game.

Jaguar shortstop Logan Kirkland leads South Alabama with a .359 batting average heading into the weekend and is riding a career-best 10-game hitting streak. Kirkland leads USA in runs scored with 18.

Center fielder Taylor White holds the team lead in hits (34) and stolen bases (10), and is tied with Jordan Patterson for the team lead in home runs with three.

Third baseman Jake Overstreet leads the Jaguars in RBI (22) in 21 games played this season. Brent Tanner and Kirkland each carry a .375 batting average in SBC contests into the weekend to lead South Alabama. Tanner has driven in nine runs in conference games, which also leads the team. White leads the Jaguars with 10 hits in SBC games.

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-

Probable Starting Pitchers

Fri., April 1
USA – RHP  Garrett Harris (3-1, 2.05 ERA)
MTSU – RHP  Daniel Palo (0-3, 6.43 ERA)

Sat., April 2
USA – RHP  Dustin Crenshaw (4-0, 4.06 ERA)
MTSU – RHP  Hunter Adkins (0-5, 6.69 ERA)

Sun., April 3
USA – LHP  Brad Hook (1-2, 3.52 ERA)
MTSU – RHP  Eric Gilley (1-3, 5.35 ERA)