University of South Alabama Athletics

#4 – Derek O’Reilly

SS/2B • R/R • 5-7 • 145 • 2L • Oakhurst, Calif. (Fresno City CC)

Click here to view "In the Dugout with Derek O'Reilly" 

Coach Kittrell on Derek O’Reilly – “Derek O’Reilly has done a good job providing leadership in the fall, and we expect him to continue in the spring. He’s a very good defensive shortstop, and he handled the bat pretty well in the fall.”

Career Notes:  Won 2009 Sun Belt Conference batting title with a .426 batting average in league games • Named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on May 4, 2009 • Tied for seventh in SBC with 16 stolen bases and ranked 13th with .354 batting average in all games in 2009 • A career .336 hitter, O’Reilly was also successful 22 out of 25 times he attempted to steal a base.

2009 (Senior):  In his first year as a full-time starter, O’Reilly saw action in all but one of USA’s game, while making 52 starts • He ranked third on the squad with a .354 batting average, despite hitting just .211 through the first 23 games of the season, and his .410 on-base percentage also ranked third on the team • O’Reilly also drove in 35 runs, scored 38 times and was successful on 16 of 19 stolen bases attempted • His season turned around when the Jags made the trip to Jonesboro, Ark. to play Arkansas State, where he began a then-career-best, nine-game hitting streak • In the next 23 games, O’Reilly would hit safely in all but one, raising his batting average 159 points to .370 • His lone hitless game during that stretch came when he went 0-for-1 with a walk and two sacrifices against UALR (4/12) • He capped his torrid streak by going 4-for-5 in each of the Jags’ two games at Louisiana-Monroe (5/1-2), extending his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games • For his efforts in that series, along with a 1-for-3 performance against No. 21 Alabama, O’Reilly was honored as Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week (5/4) • Two-run double tied game at Louisiana-Lafayette as Jags rallied to win 7-4 and complete sweep of Ragin’ Cajuns (4/19) • Led off ninth inning with a single and came around to score the winning run in Jags’ series-opening, walk-off win over Middle Tennessee (4/24) • Led the Sun Belt Conference with a .426 batting average in conference play • Tied for seventh in SBC with 16 stolen bases and ranked 13th with a .354 batting average in all games • Reached base safely in 25 consecutive games (3/24-5/2), tying David Doss for longest streak of the season by a Jag • Had 21 multi-hit games, including a pair of three-hit contests and a pair of four-hit games • Also stole two bases in a game three times.

2008 (Junior):  Batted .295 (26-for-88) in 34 games, 24 of which were starts • Was team's third middle infielder behind a pair of seniors • Had one double, one triple and a pair of homers • Both long balls came against Jackson State (4/22), as he notched career highs in RBI (4), hits (3), runs (3) and total bases (9) • Collected 11 RBI and was a perfect 6-for-6 stealing bases for the season • Went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and three RBI against Manhattan (3/1) • Went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base against Notre Dame (3/8) • Recorded three-hit games against Western Kentucky (3/14), UALR (4/12) and Jackson State (4/22) • Tripled, walked and stole a pair of bases against Ole Miss (4/9) • Went 6-for-12 with a walk and a stolen base in three-game series at UALR • Scored a run in all three games of Louisiana-Monroe series, despite not recording a single at-bat in the series • Had a seven-game hitting streak (4/9-4/22) • Hit .542 (13-for-24) with five runs and five RBI during streak.

Junior College (Fresno City CC):  Played two seasons at Fresno City (Calif.) Community College • Worked primarily at shortstop • Voted the Rams' Most Valuable Player in 2007 • Was selected first-team All-America and first-team all-conference • Helped Rams to a 43-8 record and Central Valley Conference title as a sophomore • Hit .362 (76-for-210) with two homers and 40 RBI • Doubled 15 times and drew 23 walks • Went 16-for-19 stealing bases • Got on base at a .444 clip • Led the team with 67 runs scored, 18 more than anyone else • Also led team in hits (76), stolen bases (16) and games played (51) • Hits and runs totals were also tops in the Central Valley Conference • As a freshman in 2006, hit .381 (61-for-160) with 43 runs scored and 25 RBI • Walked 16 times against just 11 strikeouts • Posted a .448 on-base percentage and stole seven bases.

High School:  Lettered four years at Yosemite High School in Oakhurst, Calif. • A two-time all-state selection for the Badgers • selected as underclassman of the year • Holds the school record for batting average and stolen bases.

Personal:  Born Nov. 11, 1986 in Fresno, Calif. • Full name is Derek Steven O'Reilly • Second of two sons to Steven and Gloria O'Reilly • Has one brother, Ryun.

Major:  Advertising

Career Bests

Runs:  3, twice

Hits:  4, twice

Doubles:  2, twice

Triples:  1, twice

Home Runs:  2 vs. Jackson State (4/22/08)

RBI:  4 vs. Jackson State (4/22/08)

Total Bases:  9 vs. Jackson State (4/22/08)

Walks:  2, three times

Stolen Bases:  2, four times

Hitting Streak:  13 games (4/14-5/1/09)

On-Base Streak:  25 games (3/24-5/1/09)