MOBILE, Ala.  – The University of South Alabama baseball team will host Florida International in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series this weekend at Stanky Field.

The series will open Friday at 6:30 p.m., followed by game two Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Sunday’s series finale, originally scheduled for 1 p.m., has been rescheduled for 11:30 a.m. in order to accommodate FIU’s request in the interest of student-athlete wellness, allowing them to get home at an appropriate time and minimize class absences.

Web stream for all three games will be available through the All-Access section at www.usajaguars.com. Each game will be broadcast on WNSP 105.5 FM in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.usajaguars.com. Live stats will also be available through the multimedia section at www.usajaguars.com. In-game Twitter updates can be accessed at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports.

Phillip Byrd (3-2) will make his seventh start of the season, and his 87th career appearance as a Jaguar which will make him the program’s all-time leader in appearances. Byrd tied former Jaguar All-American Mike Zimmerman (86) in his last start which came in last Friday’s win over Louisiana-Lafayette. The left-hander will square off against FIU left-hander Mason McVay (2-2) in the series opener.

FIU right-hander Michael Ellis (1-2) will make his 10th start of the season for the Panthers in Saturday’s second game of the series, while the USA’s starter is TBA. Ellis ranks fourth in the SBC with 60 strikeouts.

Jarron Cito (5-3) will be in search of his fourth consecutive win in Sunday’s series finale. Cito has won his last three starts, all in SBC games, and has pitched into the seventh inning in all of those contests. FIU left-hander R.J. Fondon (5-4) will make his 11th start of the season in Sunday’s finale.

South Alabama (16-25, 10-8 SBC) enters the weekend tied with FIU and Middle Tennessee for third place in the SBC. The Jags lead the league in eight offensive categories in conference games:  batting average (.326), hits (211), runs scored (141), RBI (127), total bases (321), slugging percentage (.496) and on-base percentage (.404). USA has recorded 10-plus hits in seven of its last eight conference games, and is averaging just over seven runs per contest during that span. Additionally, the Jags are hitting .336 with 14 doubles, a triple, nine home runs, 51 RBI and 57 runs scored during that span.

Nick Zaharion ranks sixth in the league with 37 RBI. He is tied for the league lead in runs scored (20), and tied for second in homers (5) and RBI (21) in conference games. Jordan Patterson is tied for sixth in the SBC in home runs (7), and ranks 10th in total bases (77). Dustin Dalken ranks second in batting average (.404), third in slugging percentage (.632) and fifth in on-base percentage (.469) in conference games. On the mound, Kyle Bartsch enters the weekend tied for second in the league with eight saves.

FIU (24-16, 10-8 SBC) has won 11 of its last 14 games, and has taken four of six SBC series this season. The Panthers dropped the final two games of last weekend’s series with UALR in Miami, and enter the series on a two-game losing skid. FIU leads the league in ERA (3.50), opposing batting average (.234), strikeouts (365) and hits allowed (320), and ranks second in the conference in runs allowed (184). FIU closer Michael Gomez leads the conference with 10 saves this season.

Offensively, the Panthers lead the SBC in walks (199), and rank second in batting average (.288), on-base percentage (.387), hits (394) and total bases (569). Mike Martinez leads the league in on-base percentage (.503), and is second in batting average (.383).

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).






Game Notes