Melvin Meggs To Miss 2013 Season; First Three Kickoff Times Announced
Shaun Artz (73) and Melvin Meggs (77) practice run blocking during the preseason camp in 2012. Meggs will miss the 2013 season with a torn ACL.
South Alabama’s most experienced offensive lineman, Melvin Meggs, will miss the 2013 season due to a torn ACL suffered in offseason workouts head coach Joey Jones announced on Monday.
Meggs, a 6’3″ 310-pound junior from Petal, Mississippi, had been earning plenty of preseason attention as the 2013 season approached but will miss entire season with his injury.
Meggs came to South Alabama from Petal High School and signed with the Jaguars when they were unclassified by the NCAA. Thus he had the opportunity to play all five seasons, including what is considered his redshirt season. Which means he cannot claim the 2013 season as a redshirt season, however he will be able to return for his senior season in 2014.
Meggs was credited with 76 knockdown blocks and graded 90 percent or better in six of the Jaguars 13 games last season including a 94 percent grade against Middle Tennessee State.
Meggs was one of two offensive players who started all 13 games last season. He was on the field for all but 15 of the Jaguars’ 938 offensive plays while only allowing one sack. He was not called for a holding or false start penalty all season.
Coach Jones said that losing an experienced player on offense will be a tough blow. But his surgery went well and is expected to be ready in six months. Though they never want to lose an experienced player like Melvin, Jones did say that they have more depth than the program has ever had in it’s short history. He said most of that depth is coming from the Jaguars redshirt freshmen class.
Additionally, Clay Machen will miss about four weeks with surgery to correct a torn meniscus but will be ready when camp begins this summer.
The University announced kickoff times for the first three contests late last week. The Jags season opener against Southern Utah will kick off on Thursday, August 29 at 6:30pm. The Jags road game in New Orleans on September 7 will kick off at 2:30pm and the Jags first Sun Belt Conference game of the season on September 14 against Western Kentucky will kick off at 6:30pm.
They did not announce if any of the first three games will be available on television. The kickoff times for remaining nine games of the 2013 schedule will be announced at a later date.
Four Jags Selected In MLB Draft
The University of South Alabama baseball program had four players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft over the weekend.
On the second day of the draft the Colorado Rockies chose Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Jordan Patterson with the third pick of the fourth round, the 109th pick overall. Kyle Bartsch was chosen by the Kansas City Royals with the eighth pick of the seventh round, which was the 204th overall pick.
Dylan Stamey was chosen by the Colorado Rockies with the third pick of the 14th round, the 409th pick overall. Also Nolan Earley was selected in the 22nd round by the Chicago White Sox for the 663rd pick overall.
Patterson was named to the first-team all-conference team as a utility player this spring. He was sixth in the Sun Belt with a .352 batting average. He collected 82 hits, 25 doubles, 69 runs scored and 49 RBI. The junior from Mobile was walked 41 times and hit by a pitch 21 times. He also had a .485 on-base percentage to lead the conference and was tied for the conference lead in doubles while finishing second in runs.
Patterson also earned a 1.84 ERA on the mound with two saves and 17 strikeouts with only six walks in 14 2/3 innings pitched. Patterson is the highest Jaguar selection since Adam Lind was selected in the third round in 2004.
Bartsch, a Hurst, Texas native, had a 3-0 record with 12 saves and a 3.12 ERA in 22 appearances this past season, all in relief. He was voted to the Second-team All-SBC team as he struck out 35 batters in 26 innings of work. He only walked 11 and held opponents to only a .189 batting average.
Bartsch finished second in the conference in saves while tying the school record in the category that was originally set by former All-American Mike Nakamura in 1998. He is the first Jaguar in program history to earn 10 or more saves in back-to-back seasons. He leaves the program as the all-time leader with 22 saves in two seasons.
Stamey made 24 appearances in relief as he went 5-2 with a 2.17 ERA and four saves. He struck out 62 batters and walked only nine. He finished second on the team in strikeouts with only 37 1/3 innings of work. He held opponents to a .209 batting average in his junior season, his first with the Jaguars.
Earley, a senior last season from Anderson, Indiana, led the Jags with 59 RBI with a .323 batting average with 19 doubles and 50 runs scored. He finished second on the team with 76 base hits and had a .411 on-base percentage with 36 walks. He was fourth in the Sun Belt Conference in RBI and among the top 10 in doubles.
The Jags finished 43-20 overall and 20-10 in Sun Belt play on the season and advanced to the NCAA Regional for the first time since 2004.
Jags Prepare To Open Regional Play In Starkville At 2pm Friday
The University of South Alabama baseball team prepares to open play in the 2013 NCAA Starkville Regional today at 2pm. The Jags, a #2 seed, will open against #3 seed Mercer at Dudy Noble Field on the campus of Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi.
Senior Anthony Izzio (3-0) will get the start for the Jags against Mercer. He has three consecutive wins in his last three outings, one of them a start. He has only allowed two runs in the last 19 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks.
Mercer (43-16) will start Brandon Barker (7-1) with a 2.35 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 26 walks in 84 1/3 innings pitched. He is also holding opponents to a .251 batting average against him.
All-time the Jags are 34-48 in NCAA Regionals with its 25th appearance this season, it’s first since 2006. The Jags also hold a 6-2 advantage over Mercer all-time with their last game a Jaguar win at Eddie Stanky Field to open the 2009 season. This will be their first time to face each other in postseason play.
South Alabama enters the Regionals ranked 27th in this week’s Collegiate Baseball poll. As they prepare to open play, they come into the game with a .301 batting average and a 4.21 ERA. While Jeff DeBlieux leads the nation with 10 triples while hitting .407 with four doubles, five triples, two home runs, 11 RBI during his current 14 game hitting streak.
Mercer enters the game with a team batting average of .301 and a 4.06 ERA. Chesny Young leads the team with a .394 batting average, 100 hits, three triples and an on-base percentage of .453. They are the regular season champion of the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 20-7 conference record.
The Starkville Regional is probably one of, if not the toughest regional of the 16 regional sites in the nation.
Along with being broadcast on 105.5 FM WNSP in the Mobile area and online on thier website http://wnsp.com/ the game can be viewed through ESPN3.com.
Jaguar Softball’s Hannah Campbell Becomes Program’s First All-American Selection
Hannah Campbell became the first USA Softball player to be selected as an All-American | usajaguars.com
On Wednesday, Hannah Campbell became the first South Alabama Jaguar to be named as an All-American. She was named to the second team of the 2013 National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Division I All-American team.
Campbell earned NFCA First-Team All-South Region honors just two weeks ago. She was also named to the First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference team and the SBC Tournament MVP among other honors.
She finished the season with a 22-9 record and a 1.08 ERA. She struck out 168 batters in 207 2/3 innings pitched with 10 solo shutouts. She limited her opposition to a mere batting average of .184. She also set a new Jaguar record for saves in a single season with six.
Campbell hails from Satsuma, Alabama.
NFCA Division I All-American Teams
First Team
P Keilani Ricketts, Oklahoma
P Blaire Luna, Texas
P Hannah Rogers, Florida
C Amber Freeman, Arizona State
1B Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma
2B Lauren Gibson, Tennessee
3B Raven Chavanne, Tennessee
SS Madison Shipman, Tennessee
OF Janie Takeda, Oregon
OF Cassidy Bell, Penn State
OF Kayla Braud, Alabama
UT/P Kaitlin Inglesby, Washington
UT/Non-P or DP Alexa Peterson, Oregon
At-Large/P Chelsea Thomas, Missouri
At-Large/UT-P Lauren Haeger, Florida
At-Large/3B Taylor Hoagland, Texas
At-Large/P Rachele Fico, LSU
At-Large/P Jessica Moore, Oregon
Second Team
P Olivia Galati, Hofstra
P Dallas Escobedo, Arizona State
P Jolene Henderson, UC-Berkeley
C Megan Baltzell, Longwood
1B Alicja Wolny, Louisville
2B Katie Keller, Louisville
3B Shelby Pendley, Oklahoma
SS Cheyenne Coyle, Arizona State
OF Haylie McCleney, Alabama
OF B.B. Bates, UCLA
OF Brianna Turang, Oklahoma
UT/P Tatum Edwards, Nebraska
UT/Non-P or DP Cali Lanphear, Texas A&M
At-Large/SS Sierra Romero, Michigan
At-Large/2B Kaila Hunt, Alabama
At-Large/OF Emilee Koerner, Notre Dame
At-Large/OF Brianna Cherry, ULL
At-Large/P Hannah Campbell, South Alabama
Third Team
P Kaia Parnaby, Hawaii
P Aimee Creger, Tulsa
P Lacey Waldrop, Florida State
C Sarah Draheim, ULL
1B Geri Ann Glasco, Georgia
2B Kaylan Howard, Oregon
3B Kaitlyn Richardson, Minnesota
SS Taylor Thom, Texas
OF Tomeka Watson, Elon
OF Maggie Hull, Kansas
OF A.J. Andrews, LSU
UT/P Jackie Traina, Alabama
UT/Non-P or DP Brooke Short, Longwood
At-Large/P Sara Nevins, South Florida
At-Large/OF Jennifer Gilbert, Ball State
At-Large/C Stephanie Pasquale, Temple
At-Large/2B Ashley Lane, Michigan
At-Large/UT-P Mel Dumezich, Texas A&M
USA Travels To Starkville For First NCAA Regional Tournament Since 2006
There wasn’t any doubt that the South Alabama baseball team was going to make the field of 64 teams for the NCAA Tournament, their first since 2006. But there was hope that the Jags would be hosting a Regional in Mobile. Unfortunately those hopes did not come to fruition on Sunday when the regional locations were announced.
However the Jags will be playing just up the road in Starkville, MS regional as a #2 seed. They will be joined by the host and #1 seed Mississippi State, #3 seed Mercer and #4 seed Central Arkansas.
The Jags ended the regular season as co-champions of the Sun Belt with in-state rival Troy University with a 42-18 record. They were eliminated from the Sun Belt Tournament short of their goal of reaching the championship game, but they will now get ready to face #3 Mercer of the Atlantic Sun Conference at 2pm on Friday. Top seeded MSU will face Central Arkansas at 7pm on Friday. They defeated the Bulldogs earlier in the season.
Single Game tickets are $15 for reserved and $10 for general admission and will be available on Friday, May 31 at noon. All-Tournament passes are $90 for reserved and $50 for general admission and will go on sale Wednesday, May 29 at 8am.
The Jags fell to Mississippi State earlier this season in a close game.
Jags Vs ULL Postponed Until 12:30 Today
South Alabama’s second round game against Louisiana-Lafayette was postponed last night due to inclement weather in the Lafayette area. The game prior between Troy and FAU was suspended in the top of the ninth inning as well.
The Jags and Ragin’ Cajuns have been rescheduled for 12:30pm on today.
Jags Defeat UALR In First Round Of SBC Tournament
South Alabama defeated 7th seeded UALR 10-2 on Wednesday to advance in the Sun Belt Conference tournament. Anthony Izzio went a career-high eight innings while scattering eight hits and just two runs. He struck out three with only one walk for his third win of the season.
Brandon Boyle threw one shutout inning in relief.
A total of five Jaguars recorded multiple hits in the win. Jordan Patterson led the way by going 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Jeff DeBlieux, Nick Zaharion, Bud Collura and Robby Campbell were the others to record multiple hits.
Jags got on the board early by taking a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Patterson and Zaharion both hit RBI singles. Patterson would score later in the inning on a fielder’s choice by Dustin Dalken. Later Dorsey would deliver a sac fly to right-center.
The #2 seeded Jaguars will face tournament host Louisiana-Lafayette at 7:30pm on Thursday in a winner’s bracket game. ULL defeated FIU on Wednesday evening 9-6 to advance.
Jaguar Football Away Tickets On Sale Today
South Paw watches warmups at Davis-Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS in 2012.
South Alabama Athletic ticket office announced on Wednesday that road game tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday morning.
2013 South Alabama Football Road Ticket Prices
- Tulane (Sept.7) – $35
- Tennessee (Sept. 28) – $45
- Troy (Oct. 5) – $24
- Texas State (Oct. 26) – $20
- Navy (Nov. 16) – $38
- Georgia State (Nov. 30) – $15
Call the USA Ticket office at 251.461.1USA to order your away tickets today. Orders made through the USA ticket office will be assigned based upon Jaguar Athletic Fund priority points. Tickets for the Jags game against Tennessee will only be available to Season ticket holders in order to be eligibile to purchase tickets for the game.
You can choose to pick up your tickets at the Mitchell Center ticket office at a date yet to be determined or at South Alabama’s Will Call on the day of the game at the host stadium. No tickets will be mailed this year.
Sun Belt Officials Release New Logos
The Sun Belt Conference introduced two new logos for the conference on Tuesday that will begin being used on July 1, 2013. This will replace the existing conference logo that has been in place since 1997.
Along with the new primary and secondary logo, they also introduced a new mantra for the conference which will be the foundation and essece of the new logo, “Together We Rise”.
The new primary logo for the Sun Belt Conference beginning on July 1, 2013.
The new secondary Sun Belt Conference logo that will begin being used on July 1, 2013.
Calvi Named Coach Of The Year, Patterson Named SBC Player Of The Year
South Alabama received more accolades on Tuesday as the Jags baseball team prepare to open their 2013 Sun Belt Conference Tournament campaign against UALR on Wednesday.
Head coach Mark Calvi was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, Jordan Patterson was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and in all seven Jaguars earned All-Conference honors at the SBC Family Fun Night at M. L. “Tigue” Moore Field in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Patterson is the sixth Jaguar all-time to earn the award and the first since David Freese in 2006. The award is voted on by the conference’s coaches. He joins an impressive list of Jaguars who have earned the honor which includes: Mike Zimmerman (1990), Jon Lieber (1992), Marlon Anderson (1995), Juan Pierre (1998) and Freese.
Patterson was also named to the First-Team All-SBC team as a utility player. It is his second consecutive season he has earned All-Conference honors and his first first-team selection. Patterson is a junior.
Joining Patterson is Dustin Dalken (DH) and Robby Campbell (2B) on the first team. Matt Bell (starting pitcher), Kyle Bartsch (relief pitcher), Whitt Dorsey (C) and Nolan Earley (OF) were all named to the second-team All-SBC team.
USA and Louisiana-Lafayette tied for the most all-conference selections with seven each. It also marked the most by a Jaguar squad since the 2006 season when seven Jags were named to the All-SBC team.
Additionally, the Jags were recognized for their share of the regular season championship, the 14th Sun Belt title for the University.
Mark Calvi was honored after the team recognition as the SBC Ron Maestri Coach of the Year. It’s the eighth time a Jaguar head coach has been named the conference coach of the year with Eddie Stanky (1983) and Steve Kittrell (1992, ’96, ’98, 2001, ’03). Coach Calvi led the Jags to a 40-win season, which is the most since the 2003 season, and 20 conference wins which is the most since the Jags 27 in 1999.
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Recent Posts
- Melvin Meggs To Miss 2013 Season; First Three Kickoff Times Announced
- Four Jags Selected In MLB Draft
- Jags Prepare To Open Regional Play In Starkville At 2pm Friday
- Jaguar Softball’s Hannah Campbell Becomes Program’s First All-American Selection
- USA Travels To Starkville For First NCAA Regional Tournament Since 2006