MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team continues its seven-game home stand when it takes on Florida Atlantic in three-game series. The Jags will play in a single-game Wednesday and conclude the series Thursday with a doubleheader.
First pitch is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. followed by a doubleheader Thursday starting at 4 p.m.
The Jaguars are 27-11 overall and 7-6 in conference play.
USA enters the series after being swept by Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend at Jaguar field.
The Jags are second in the conference in doubles (18), and are ranked third in the league in team batting average (.291), on base percentage (.369), runs scored (71), RBI (64), doubles (55), triples (12) and sac bunts (34).
Sophomore first baseman Meghan Collins continues to pace the Jaguars at the plate with a team-leading batting average (.418). She is also ninth in the conference play with a .375 batting average and ranked seventh in on base percentage (.474).
Christin Crocker, Brittany Fowler, Haley Hopkins and Jenny Stevens are all tied for the team-lead in home runs (7). Stevens has a program-high 17 home runs and Hopkins and Crocker continue to trail close behind with 16.
Crocker is batting .300 overall and has tallied 24 runs and 33 hits on the season.
Fowler is batting .391 overall this season and has tallied a team-leading 43 hits and 46 RBI. The Jacksonville, Fla., native is ranked in the top 10 in the conference in batting average (.391), slugging percentage (.691), RBI (16), home runs (4) and sac flies (2).
Hopkins has recorded nine RBI and seven runs while batting .351 in conference games.
Stevens has a team-leading 24 stolen bases and 43 runs. She is batting .306 and has recorded 37 hits this season through 38 games this season. The Jackson native is ranked in the top five league play in runs scored (14) and stolen bases (6).
Sophomore pitcher Morgan Druhan continues to lead the Jags in the circle. She has recorded 120 strikeouts in 90 innings of work. Left-hander Hannah Campbell is 5-2 in conference play and has held opposing batters to a .240 average.
FAU (25-18, 9-3) has a 12-2 all-time series lead over USA. The Jaguars are 1-5 when playing at Jaguar Field, 1-5 in Boca Raton, Fla. and 0-1 when playing at a neutral site. The last time the Jaguars faced FAU was on opening day of the SBC championship when the Jags fell 1-0 at Jaguar Field. Last season, the Jags split with FAU on day one winning 3-1 in the opener and falling 6-2 in game two. The Jaguars fell 1-0 in the series finale.
The Owls enter series after sweeping SBC foe North Texas at FAU Softball Stadium. Offensively, FAU is led by Cari Caufman who has recorded 12 hits and leads the team with a .387 batting average. Carly Speerin is batting .368 while recording a team-leading 14 hits.
Rose Gressley (13-8,6-1) paces the Owls in the circle with a 2.30 ERA in Sun Belt Conference action. She has recorded 54 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of work while holding opposing batters to a .204 average.Taylor Fawbush (12-9,3-2) has recorded 19 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched.
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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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