MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team will host its final home series of the season this weekend when it takes on Western Kentucky in a three-game set at Stanky Field.
The series will kick off at 6:30 p.m. Friday, followed by game two Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Sunday’s series finale, which will also serve as Senior Day where the Jaguar seniors will be honored in a pre-game ceremony, is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Each game will be webcast and will be available to purchase through the All-Access section at www.usajaguars.com. All three games will be broadcast live on WNSP 105.5 FM in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.wnsp.com. Live stats for each game will be available through the multimedia section at www.usajaguars.com. In-game updates will also be available via Twitter at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports.
USA holds a 79-49 all-time series lead over Western Kentucky. South Alabama took two of three games from the Hilltoppers last year in Bowling Green, Ky., marking the Jags’ first series win over WKU since 2007. USA is 42-15 all-time against the Hilltoppers at Stanky Field. This weekend marks the first time the series has been played at Stanky Field since 2008.
Phillip Byrd (3-3), the program’s all-time leader with 88 appearances, will make his 10th start of the season in the series opener. Byrd logged his third quality start of the year last weekend at Arkansas State, where the left-hander allowed three earned runs on on six hits in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Western Kentucky has not announced a starter for Friday’s contest.
Jarron Cito (6-4) will make his 13th start of the season Saturday evening. Cito has won four of his last five starts, and tossed the Jags’ first complete game of the season in his last home start on April 29 against Florida International. WKU left-hander Tim Bado (4-5) will make his 12th start of the season for the Hilltoppers on Saturday. Bado has struck out 62 batters against 20 walks in 66 1/3 innings, and enters the weekend with a 4.81 ERA.
Payton Gardner (0-5) will get the nod on the mound for the Jags in Sunday’s series finale. In his last start Sunday at Arkansas State, Gardner set career highs in innings pitched (8.0) and strikeouts (8), and held the Red Wolves scoreless through eight innings. WKU right-hander Justin Hageman (3-5) will make his 12th start of the season for the Hilltoppers in the series finale. Hageman has struck out 45 but issued 38 walks in 61 2/3 innings this season, while opponents are hitting .306 against him. He enters the weekend with a 5.55 ERA.
South Alabama (18-30, 12-12 SBC) enters the weekend tied with Middle Tennessee for fourth place in the Sun Belt Conference standings. South Alabama carries a four-game losing skid into the weekend series with the Hilltoppers. The Jags are 10-13 at home this season, and are 7-5 in SBC games at Stanky Field. South Alabama has won three of four conference series at Stanky Field this year.
The Jags lead the Sun Belt in seven offensive categories in league games: batting average (.308), runs scored (165), home runs (26), RBI (149), total bases (384), slugging percentage (.457) and on-base percentage (.390). USA enters the weekend with a .268 team batting average and 5.82 team ERA.
USA third baseman Dustin Dalken ranks 10th in the SBC in batting average (.351) and on-base percentage (.432) in conference games, while Brad Hook is tied for fourth in home runs (5) in SBC contests. Nick Zaharion ranks fifth in RBI (22), and is tied for fifth in runs scored (21) in league games. J.T. Files has hit safely in three consecutive Sun Belt games, while Nolan Earley has reached base safely in nine straight contests.
Western Kentucky (20-28, 10-14 SBC) enters the weekend having lost four of its last five SBC series after dropping two of three games at Florida Atlantic last weekend. The Hilltoppers are 6-13 in road games this season, 4-8 in SBC road contests and enters the weekend in a three-way tie for seventh place in the SBC standings with UALR and Troy. WKU leads the Sun Belt in innings pitched (221.1), strikeouts (210) and fielding percentage (.979) in conference games.
Ryan Hutchison ranks fourth in RBI (23), tied for fourth in total bases (55), tied for fifth in hits (35) and ranks eighth in batting average (.357) and slugging percentage (.561) in conference games.
Casey Dykes leads WKU in batting average (.304) and hits (58), while Hutchison leads the team in homers (7), RBI (42), total bases (91) and slugging percentage (.495).
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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Game Notes
