MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team will host two schools from the state of Mississippi in midweek contests this week, when it faces Mississippi State at 6 p.m. Tuesday and squares off with No. 12-ranked Southern Miss at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening at Stanky Field.
South Alabama (22-21) enters the week on a five-game losing skid after dropping three games at Florida International last weekend in Miami. The Jaguars carry a .299 team batting average, which ranks third in the Sun Belt Conference, into Tuesday’s contest led by Brent Tanner who ranks sixth in the league in hitting with a .359 average. Tanner ranks fourth in slugging percentage (.563), on-base percentage (.455) and RBI (41).
The Jags are 14-7 at Stanky Field this season, and 8-4 in non-conference games at home. USA is 7-1 in night games at Stanky Field this season.
Mississippi State (25-18) enters the game 2-3 in its last five games after dropping two of three to Alabama in Starkville over the weekend. The Bulldogs are batting .286 as a team, and are led by Jarrod Parks who enters Tuesday’s contest with a .406 batting average. Parks also leads MSU in hits (58), doubles (12), total bases (82), slugging percentage (.573), walks (27) and on-base percentage (.530).
The Bulldogs hold a 39-24 all-time series lead over the Jaguars, and won last year’s meeting 9-5 in Starkville. South Alabama is 11-15 all-time against MSU at Stanky Field.
USA right-hander Jarrett Bailey (0-0) will make his first start of the season Tuesday night, and will face MSU right-hander Andrew Busby (1-0). Bailey has appeared in four games with one save to his credit this season for the Jags, while Busby will make his second start of the season. Busby carries an 8.49 ERA into the game, and has struck out 11 batters and walked seven in 11 2/3 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .378 against him this season.
South Alabama will face No. 12 Southern Miss (32-12) for the second time this season when the schools square off Wednesday evening. The Golden Eagles knocked off the Jags 15-3 earlier this season in Hattiesburg.
The Jaguars lead the all-time series 52-27 entering Wednesday’s game, and are 30-10 all-time against Southern Miss at Stanky Field.
Southern Miss enters the game 3-2 in its last five games after taking two of three from East Carolina last weekend. The Golden Eagles are 7-3 in their last 10 games
USM is batting .310 as a team, and is led by Marc Bourgeois who is hitting .380 with seven home runs and 31 RBI. B.A. Vollmuth leads the Golden Eagles with 10 homers, while Tyler Koelling tops the team in RBI with 40.
Both games will be broadcast on WNSP 105.5 FM in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.wnsp.com. Live stats for each game will also 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).
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