Game Notes


MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team will travel to New Orleans for a three-game weekend series with the University of New Orleans beginning with game one Fri., Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at Zephyr Field.

Game two is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch Saturday, and the series will conclude Sunday with game three at 1 p.m. Sunday. Live stats for all three games will be available through the multimedia section at USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama (1-3) will look to snap a two-game losing skid in Friday's opener after falling to Tennessee Tech in last weekend's series finale and dropping a 5-0 decision to Alabama State Tuesday at Stanky Field.

Right-hander Matt Bell (0-0) will make his second start of the season in Friday's series opener, and will square off with UNO right-hander Alex Smith (0-1) who allowed five runs on eight hits with a strikeout and a walk in three innings pitched in his first start of the season last weekend.

Jaguar southpaw Locke St. John (0-0) will make his second start of the season Saturday, while UNO will counter with right-hander Darron McKigney (0-0) who has struck out three and walked two in 4 2/3 innings pitched. Saturday will mark his third appearance and first start of the season.

The series finale will feature Jaguar right-hander Ben Taylor (0-1) facing Privateer right-hander Nick Halliday (1-0), who allowed one unearned run on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks in six innings in his first start of the year.

UNO enters the weekend hitting .242 while the Jaguars carry a .300 team batting average into the series. The Privateers hold an edge in team ERA (2.77) over South Alabama, who will begin the series with a 3.55 team ERA. Opponents are hitting just .227 against the Jags, while the opposition has batted .250 against the Privateers this season. USA enters the weekend tied with Louisiana-Lafayette for the Sun Belt Conference lead in fielding percentage (.982).

South Alabama holds an 87-60 all-time lead over UNO in a series that dates back to 1970. USA has faced the Privateers more than any other opponent in the program's 50-year history. The Jaguars swept three games from the Privateers last season at Stanky Field, and set a single-game school record for runs scored (29) in the series opener.

This weekend's series will mark the first time South Alabama has faced UNO in a three-game set in New Orleans since 2008 when the Privateers took two of three games from the Jags.

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).