MOBILE, Ala. - University of South Alabama baseball will welcome back seven former Jaguars playing professionally as part of the 2010 alumni game Sunday at Stanky Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Current Major League Baseball pitcher P.J. Walters (St. Louis Cardinals) will team up with former Jags Chase Christianson (RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks), David Doss (C, Philadelphia Phillies), Ryne Jernigan (IF, Oakland Athletics), Ray Kruml (OF, New York Yankees), Kevin Nabors (RHP, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) and Brandon Sage (LHP, New York Mets), as well as several other former Jaguars to form this year's alumni team.
"We're excited about those guys coming back," head coach Steve Kittrell said. "We need to get out and play someone different. We're going to play this game hard and play it to win, and I think they [alumni] are too. It should be an interesting game."
Walters appeared in eight games for the Cardinals last season. He struck out 14 batters in 16.0 innings of work. He was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and third-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) in 2004, and earned second-team All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball in 2006.
Christianson went 1-0 with a 3.00 earned run average after being promoted to the Class AA Mobile BayBears last season. He also appeared in 37 games with the Class A Visalia Rawhide, where he struck out 46 batters. Christianson earned first-team all-Sun Belt Conference honors in his junior year at USA.
Doss, the all-time leader in hits (312), at-bats (851), doubles (70) and RBI (196) at USA, collected 21 hits in 29 games this season with the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League. Doss was named a third-team All-American by Louisville Slugger in 2009, and was also named to the ABCA South Central all-region first team.
Jernigan collected 59 hits in 62 games with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League. He was named an ABCA third-team All-American in 2008 after hitting .348 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI.
Kruml collected 94 hits, 35 RBI and 23 stolen bases last season for the Class A Charleston RiverDogs. He was a second-team all-SBC selection in 2008 after leading the Jags in hitting. Kruml batted .350 with eight home runs, 45 RBI and 31 stolen bases as a senior in 2008.
Nabors won three games and earned one save at Class A Cedar Rapids, while striking out 40 batters last season. He won six games while striking out 47 as a senior at USA.
Sage won three games and earned a save while posting a 2.03 ERA with the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League. He won three games and collected one save while striking out 44 batters as a senior in 2009 at USA.
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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