MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team will host Stephen F. Austin in a three-game series to kick off the 2013 season, beginning Friday with the season opener at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.
Game two of the series will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
All three games will be broadcast live on 105.5 FM WNSP in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.wnsp.com. All South Alabama home games are available via webcast through the All-Access section at www.usajaguars.com. Live stats are available for all South Alabama baseball games, and can be accessed through the multimedia section at USAJaguars.com.
Friday’s season opener will feature a pair of right-handers with Anthony Izzio taking the rubber for the Jags while Chase Greening is scheduled to start for the Lumberjacks. Izzio went 4-1 with a 3.04 ERA last season before missing the final month-and-a-half due to injury. He made eight starts, one of which came against Stephen F. Austin where Izzio allowed just one run on five hits in seven innings to help USA avoid a series sweep.
Greening went 5-7 with a 4.92 ERA in 16 appearances last season. He struck out 48 batters against 23 walks in 82 1/3 innings pitched, while the opposition batted .333 against him.
USA left-hander Jacob Noble will get the start in Saturday’s contest, and will square off with SFA right-hander Kyle Cross. Sunday’s series finale will feature Jaguar right-hander and 2012 all-SBC selection Jarron Cito going against Lumberjack right-hander Kevin Bishop.
South Alabama returns 19 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last season’s squad that finished tied for fourth in the Sun Belt Conference.
The Jaguars were picked to finish third in the conference this season by the league’s coaches, while Logan Kirkland (second base), Whitt Dorsey (designated hitter) and Jordan Patterson (utility) were named preseason all-conference.
South Alabama is 29-19 all-time in season openers, and 26-6 when opening the season at home. The Jags are 0-2 all-time in season openers against schools from Texas with losses to Rice (1999) and Texas A&M (2004).
SFA holds a 2-1 all-time series lead over the Jags after taking two of three games last year.
SFA shortstop Hunter Dozier was selected as a preseason first-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Dozier hit .357 with 22 doubles, 10 home runs and 37 RBI as a sophomore last season.
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-
Scheduled Starting Pitchers
Fri., Feb. 15
USA – Anthony Izzio (Sr., RHP)
SFA – Chase Greening (Sr., RHP)
Sat., Feb. 16
USA – Jacob Noble (Jr., LHP)
SFA – Kyle Cross (Jr., RHP)
Sun., Feb. 17
USA – Jarron Cito (Sr., RHP)
SFA – Kevin Bishop (Jr., RHP)
Game Notes
