Game 24 - at UAB Game Notes.pdf

GAME: 24 | AT UAB
March 14, 2017 | Birmingham, Ala. | Mary Bowers Field

RV / RV South Alabama (17-6, 0-3 SBC)
JAGUARS
Batting Avg.: .274
Runs: 88
Runs Per Game: 3.8
Hits: 154
Home Runs: 10
Stolen Bases: 17
ERA: 1.72
Strikeouts: 149

-- / --  UAB (8-14, 2-1 CUSA)
BLAZERS
Batting Avg.: .225
Runs: 83
Runs Per Game: 3.8
Hits: 131
Home Runs: 11
Stolen Bases: 19
ERA: 3.42
Strikeouts: 101

Television: None
Radio: www.USAJaguars.com (audio only broadcast)
    Talent: J.T. Crabtree
Live Stats: www.USAJaguars.com
Live Stream: www.uabsports.com (Pay)
Twitter: @USAJagsSoftball

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS    
– South Alabama (17-6, 0-3 SBC) enters Tuesday night's game looking to snap a three-game skid.  The Jags were swept over the weekend at Georgia State, marking the first time since 2009 that USA has began league play 0-3.
– The game against UAB will also close out a stretch of 10-straight games away from home for the Jaguars.
– South has four batters hitting around .320 or better.  MC Nichols comes in at .407 – seventh in the SBC – with 24 hits
– Kaleigh Todd (.377), Kristian Foster (.328) and Haleigh Lowe (.319) are also having solid seasons at the plate.  
– Todd is 14-of-16 in steals this spring and her 14 swipes are third-most in the league.  She is also tied for sixth in the conference in runs scored with 19 and is seventh in hits with 26.
– Haleigh Lane also returned to the Jag lineup on Sunday after missing the previous seven games due to injury.  Lane is hitting just below .300 and her five doubles lead the team.
– Devin Brown remains as one of the top pitchers in the Sun Belt as she leads the conference in opposing batting order (.160) and runs allowed (14), and is second in earned run average (1.23), strikeouts (97) and earned runs allowed (13).
– She is also among the NCAA leaders in shutouts (6 – second), strikeouts (19th), hits allowed (21st), strikeouts per seven innings (9.2 – 25th) and earned run average (51st).
– Over the weekend, Brown became just the fourth Jag to eclipse the 600 strikeout mark for her career.  She is now ranked third with 604.
– The game against UAB will be a special one for four South Alabama players who are from the northern part of the state and around the Birmingham area – Nichols (Hoover), Lane (Jasper), Todd (Bessemer), Kristian Foster (Pelham) and Chandler Sparkman (Decatur).
– As a staff, South Alabama ranks in the top three of the Sun Belt in numerous categories, leading the league in opposing batting average (.199), and ranking second in ERA (1.72) and strikeouts (149).

SCOUTING THE BLAZERS    
– UAB (8-14, 2-1 CUSA) comes into the midweek outing versus the Jags fresh off a 2-1 series win over Southern Mississippi at home over the weekend.
– The Blazers took the opener of the series, 1-0 on Saturday and then after dropping the first game of Sunday's doubleheader (10-4), UAB clinched the series win with a 3-2 walk-off win on a Golden Eagle throwing  error.  USM held a 2-0 lead going into the final inning,but UAB scored all three of its runs in its final at-bat.
– Analyse Petree leads the team with a .320 batting average and also has four doubles and 11 RBI coming into Tuesday night's contest.
– Freshman outfielder Destini England has the most hits on the squad with 20 and her four triples on the year lead Conference USA and are seventh-most nationally.
– Madison Millsaps has a team-high four home runs and 13 runs driven in.  
– Freshman pitcher Claire Blount (3-4) paces the club in the circle with a 2.48 earned run average and 49 strikeouts on the spring.  Blount has four complete games and a pair of shutouts.
– Madison Hir is close behind Blount with a 2.57 ERA, while Megan Smith is 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA.

THE SERIES    
– The meeting between South Alabama and UAB will mark the 13th in the all-time series between the two clubs.  The Jaguars hold an 11-2 (.846) record in those previous meetings and have won nine-straight in the series.
– South is 5-1 all-time in the series in games played on the Blazer's home field and has won the last five there.
– USA defeated UAB twice last season, earning a 4-0 win in Mobile in the season-opener on February 7 and a 3-1 win in Birmingham on March 22.
– The two in-state rivals have met at least once every season except for '09 and '15.
– UAB's last win in the series came back during the 2010 season when the Blazers picked up a 6-0 victory in Mobile.

Last 5 – 5-0
Last 10 – 9-1

LAST TIME THEY MET    
– South Alabama completed the season-sweep versus the Blazers with a 3-1 victory at Mary Bowers Field.
– Behind the solid pitching of Destin Vicknair and Devin Brown, USA held onto a one-run lead over the final four innings of play.  Vicknair allowed just one run on three hits over the first five innings of play and Brown held UAB hitless and allowed just one base runner while striking out three over the final two innings of play.
– The Jaguars opened up scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, beginning with Haleigh Lane's RBI single to left field, which scored Haleigh Lowe.  Alex Breeden then followed with an RBI base hit to right center to plate Kristian Foster, who singled earlier in the inning.
– After UAB cut the Jag advantage in half with a two-out RBI double from Kelley Britt in the bottom of the second, USA added an insurance run in the third.  
– Lowe singled up the middle to score Stephanie Pilkington, who doubled with two away as USA reestablished its two-run lead, 3-1.

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).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).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/sports/2013/3/13/Bull%20Pen%20Club.aspx?id=27