MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team will return to Jaguar field to host Sun Belt Conference foe Middle Tennessee in a weekend series Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday’s doubleheader, which is set to kick off at 1 p.m., will be the Jaguars’ first home game since sweeping Louisiana-Monroe in their conference-opening series on March 10-11. First pitch in the series finale is scheduled for noon on Sunday.

"The past few weeks have been a test with all of the travel so it’ll be nice to be back at home and playing in front of our home crowd,” said USA head coach Becky Clark. “Middle Tennessee is a big series for us. Right now, we just have to stay focused and compete in all three games."

After South Alabama came from behind to knock off Troy 6-3 on March 28 in Troy, Ala., the Jags improved to 20-9 overall. USA’s 8-2 mark in SBC action put them at No. 2 in the conference standings behind nationally-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette.

At the plate, South Alabama is getting production throughout the order with eight student-athletes hitting .250 or better and a team batting average of .292. Freshman Blair Johnson currently paces the Jaguar bats with a squad-best .357 average, 35 hits and eight doubles. Junior Brittany Fowler (.326) has added 28 hits including seven doubles and a team-high five home runs this year. Fowler has also racked up 50 total bases and 24 RBI – the most on the team.

USA has a team ERA of 2.23 with sophomore Hannah Campbell and senior Katy Neal leading the way in the circle. Neal holds a squad-low 2.46 earned run average and a 5-3 record. Campbell (12-6) has recorded an ERA of 2.54 and has struck out 103 batters in 110.1 innings of work. Campbell has also thrown four of the Jags’ six shutouts this season.

The Jaguars have a one-game advantage on the Blue Raiders as USA leads the all-time series 9-8. After dropping the first game of last season’s series with MTSU 1-3 in Murfreesboro, Tenn., South Alabama took games two and three beating the Blue Raiders 8-0 and 10-2, respectively.  

Middle Tennessee is 12-15 overall and 2-4 in conference play this year. Most recently, the Blue Raiders split a doubleheader with Jacksonville State on March 27 dropping the first game 7-8 before downing JSU 10-2 in the second game. MTSU has only won two road contests this season. The first was a 4-2 victory at the College of Charleston, and the second was the Blue Raiders’ win at JSU.

As a team Middle Tennessee is has recorded a .287 batting average. Sophomore Kayla Toney tops the Blue Raiders with a club-high .413 average, 20 runs and 33 hits including 10 doubles a triple and three home runs. Senior Kaycee Popham is right behind Toney hitting .372 and notching 18 runs and 32 hits with 18 RBI.

Sophomore Shelby Stinnett is the only Blue Raider pitcher with a winning record going 5-2 in 12 appearances and seven starts. Stinnett has an ERA of 2.68, and has thrown 19 Ks in 49.2 innings while giving up 57 hits and 30 runs. Senior Caty Jutson (5-8) has seen the most action in the circle compiling a 4.18 ERA after tossing 63.2 innings.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).