Complete Release in PDF Format
GAMES 5-6 ♦ FEB. 24-25 ♦ STARKVILLE, MISS. ♦ HATTIESBURG, MISS.
ALL TIMES CENTRAL (HOME TEAMS LISTED FIRST)
TUESDAY:
Mississippi State vs. South Alabama, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY:
Southern Miss vs. South Alabama, 4 p.m.
South Alabama hits the road for the first time in 2009 when the Jags travel to the Magnolia State to take on Mississippi State and Southern Miss in midweek matchups. USA plays MSU Tuesday and USM Wednesday, with both games scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
The Jags look to build momentum with the start of a stretch of eight consecutive games away from Stanky Field. USA enters the road trip fresh off a win over No. 6 Ole Miss. The Jags beat the Rebels 4-3 in 10 innings Sunday.
All South Alabama home games are broadcast on WNSP 105.5 FM in Mobile and live on the internet at www.wnsp.com. Live video is available through Jaguar Nation at www.usajaguars.com. Subscriptions can be purchased for $7.95/month or $69.95/year.
Note: Only Tuesday's game will be webcast. It can be heard live on the internet at www.wnsp.com, or in Mobile on 105.5 FM starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday's game will be live on the internet but delayed until 7 p.m. on 105.5 FM in Mobile.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
TUESDAY
USA: RHP Dustin Crenshaw (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K)
Mississippi State: LHP Forrest Moore (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K)
WEDNESDAY
USA: TBA
Southern Miss: TBA
COACHES
SOUTH ALABAMA: Steve Kittrell (South Alabama, 1971)
Career Record: 1,000-580-1 (27th season)
Record at USA: 967-561-1 (26th season)
MISSISSIPPI STATE: John Cohen (Mississippi State, 1990)
Career Record: 324-198-1 (10th season)
Record at Liberty: 3-1 (first season)
SOUTHERN MISS: Corky Palmer (Southern Miss, 1977)
Career Record: 926-467 (28th season)
Record at Ole Miss: 421-255 (12th season)
INTERNET FEEDS
Live Stats: www.mstateathletics.com
Video: www.mstateathletics.com
Audio: www.wnsp.com
SOUTH ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI STATE SERIES
Mississippi State leads the all-time series 23-37, including wins in six of seven meetings since 2004 ... USA split a two-game set in Starkville last season, winning the first game 6-5 before falling 7-6 in 11 innings in game two ... The win in the first game snapped a MSU five-game winning streak in the series ... USA jumped out to a 10-4 advantage in the series after winning the first of two games in 1984, but the Bulldogs responded by winning 10 straight, and MSU has held the advantage in the all-time series ever since ... Mississippi State leads the series 14-10 in Mobile, 2-0 at neutral sites, and 21-13 in Starkville ... USA’s only postseason meeting with the Bulldogs came at the 2000 NCAA Starkville Regional, a game the Bulldogs won 9-2.
SOUTH ALABAMA-SOUTHERN MISS SERIES
USA leads the all-time series 51-24 ... The Jags and Golden Eagles will play a home-and-home series for the fifth consecutive season in 2009 ... All four previous years have been split, and the home team has won each of the past six meetings ... The Jags reeled off a streak of 24 consecutive wins in the series from 1972 through 1987, giving USA a 28-5 advantage in the series ... However, since Southern Miss snapped the 24-game streak, the series has been played much more closely ... USA holds a slim 23-18 lead since 1988 ... The Jags lead 29-9 in Mobile and 22-15 in Hattiesburg.
FOUR JAGS RECEIVE PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Senior David Doss was named the first team catcher in all four preseason all-conference rankings (SBC, Baseball America, SEBaseball.com, Rivals.com), and three other Jags received various honors.
Senior first baseman Ryan Bohanan was selected to the first team by Rivals and to the second team by SEBaseball, and senior RHP Greg Johnson earned a slot as one of two relievers on SEBaseball's second team.
Junior RHP Matt Jackson, a transfer from Chipola Community College, also earned second-team honors from SEBaseball. Jackson was the only player selected to either team who is entering his first season in the Sun Belt Conference.
SOUTH ALABAMA AMONG NATION'S BEST PROGRAMS OVER LAST 20 YEARS
Since 1989, South Alabama has gone to 16 NCAA Regionals. Only 10 teams have made more postseason appearances in those 20 years. Florida State and Miami top the list after going to a regional in all 20 years. They're followed by Wichita State (19), Clemson (19), Texas (18), Georgia Tech (18), Cal State Fullerton (18), LSU (18), Stanford (17) and Long Beach State (17).
STANKY FIELD CELEBRATES 30 YEARS
The Jags celebrate 30 years of baseball at Eddie Stanky Field with the 2009 season. USA holds an all-time record of 659-235 at its home park. Named after legendary coach Eddie Stanky, who coached the Jags from 1969-79 and 1981-83, the stadium is one of the most impressive facilities in the nation. After a multi-million dollar transformation in 2004, the stadium now seats 3,575.
USA has never posted a losing record at home in the stadium's history. Over the past 30 years, the Jags have lost five games or fewer at home in five seasons: 1992 (28-4), 1997 (19-5), 1999 (21-5), 2001 (31-3) and 2003 (27-4).
USA TAKES 30-PLUS FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT SEASONS
South Alabama has won at least 30 games in every season since 2001 and 22 of the past 23 years. The Jags' only seasons without 30 wins since Stanky Field opened in 1980 were in 1985 (22-32) and 2000 (27-33). Even with a losing record, USA made its way to a regional in 2000 by sweeping all four games in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
JACKSON TAKES COCA-COLA CLASSIC MVP
Matt Jackson was selected MVP of the Coca-Cola Classic after pitching 7.1 innings and collecting 10 strikeouts in USA’s 9-2 win over Mercer. Jackson allowed just two hits and walked one batter.
Jackson’s selection was the first time a Jaguar has been selected MVP of the Coca-Cola Classic since Clark Secchiari won the award in 2004.
JACKSON NAMED FIRST SBC PITCHER OF WEEK IN 2009
Matt Jackson was named the first Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week for the 2009 season. Jackson's honor is the first time a USA pitcher has been selected since Joey Doan won the award on May 14, 2007. Last season was the first time USA did not have a Pitcher or Player of the Week since the awards were first given out in 1985.
FREE BASEBALL EARLY IN SEASON
Each of USA’s last two games have gone 10 innings. The Jags didn’t play their second extra-inning game in 2008 until March 26, and they played only two extra-inning games during the entire 2007 season.
Saturday’s extra-inning game was the earliest in the season a USA team has gone to extras since 2000, when the Jags beat UAB 5-4 in 12 innings, also in their third game of the season.
WEEKEND PREVIEW
South Alabama continues its stretch of eight consecutive road games with a trip to DeLand, Fla. for Stetson’s Bright House Invitational. The Jags open with Southern Illinois Friday at 1 p.m., then they take on Iowa Saturday at 1 p.m. and Stetson in the finale Sunday at 4 p.m.
