MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team will look to continue its fast start in Sun Belt Conference play when the Jaguars host Middle Tennessee in a three-game set at Stanky Field this weekend.
The series will kick off Friday at 6:30 p.m., and will be followed by the second game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening. Sunday’s series finale will begin at 1 p.m.
South Alabama (10-15, 5-1 SBC) enters the weekend in a three-way tie for first place in the SBC, and is averaging 14 hits and 11 runs scored in its first six conference games. The Jaguars lead the league in nine offensive categories in league contests: batting average (.368), hits (85), doubles (15), home runs (10), RBI (61), runs scored (68), total bases (130), slugging percentage (.563) and on-base percentage (.438).
Jaguar left fielder Nick Zaharion, this week’s Sun Belt Conference player of the week, leads the league with a .385 batting average, and carries a team-best nine game hitting streak into the weekend series. Jordan Patterson and Zaharion each enter the series having reached base in 22 consecutive games, and Patterson leads the conference with 11 runs scored in league games.
Zaharion leads the conference with 15 hits and 16 RBI in SBC games, while Dustin Dalken (13) and Nolan Earley (11) rank second and tied for third in hits, respectively. Zaharion also leads the league in homers (4), slugging percentage (1.071), on-base percentage (.581) and total bases (30) in conference games.
USA left-hander Phillip Byrd (2-0) carries a 3.16 ERA in 25 2/3 innings pitched this season, and will make his fourth start of the season in the series opener. He will square off with Middle Tennessee right-hander Hunter Adkins (3-2) who has a 3.89 ERA in 34 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Anthony Izzio (4-0), who ranks second in the SBC in innings pitched (40.1) and tied for second in wins (4), will make his seventh start of the season in Saturday’s contest. Middle Tennessee will counter with freshman left-hander Johnathan Frebis (2-2) who has posted a 2.16 ERA and tossed 33 1/3 innings in six starts this year.
Jaguar right-hander Jarron Cito (2-2) will make his seventh start in Sunday’s series finale, and will be paired against Blue Raider right-hander Jonathan Sisco (4-1) who leads the SBC in ERA (1.36) and opposing batting average (.184).
Middle Tennessee (15-11, 3-3 SBC) has lost three of its last four games after splitting a pair of midweek games with Memphis. The Blue Raiders dropped two of three games at Florida Atlantic last weekend, and are 2-4 in road games this season.
Trent Miller leads Middle Tennessee in batting average (.340), hits (33), triples (1), home runs (7), RBI (22), total bases (62) and slugging percentage (.639). Ryan Ford holds the team lead with 10 stolen bases. The Blue Raiders rank third in the league with 39 stolen bases.
South Alabama holds a 36-19 all-time series lead over Middle Tennessee after dropping two of three games last year in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Blue Raiders took two of three games the last time the schools met in Mobile in 2009.
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. Live stats will be available for every game through the multimedia section at www.usajaguars.com, and in-game updates will also be provided at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports.
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-
Game Notes
