Jags Split Sunday Doubleheader To Clinch Series Over ULL
The South Alabama baseball team had their opening game in Lafayette cancelled due to weather but came back on Saturday to defeat ULL 9-6. Anthony Izzio tossed seven shutout innings in relief to earn his first win of the season by only allowing four hits while striking out four with only one walk.
Izzio entered the game facing a 6-0 deficit and proceeded to retire eight of the final nine batters he faced before being lifted with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for Dylan Stamey who struck out the only batter he faced to earn his fourth save of the season.
USA fell behind 6-0 after two innings due to a six-run second inning by the Ragin’ Cajuns.
The Jags finally responded in the top of the fifth inning when Nolan Earley doubled to left-center to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI single by Dustin Dalken.
In the top of the sixth inning the Jags would cut the deficit to one run by scoring four, all with two outs in the inning.
Nick Zaharion left off the top of the eighth inning with a single. Dalken then gave the Jags their first lead of the game at 7-6 when he nailed a two-run homer. Jeff DeBlieux added two runs for insurance with a two-run single for the 9-6 final score.
After the Friday game was scrubbed, the Jags and the Cajuns played a doubleheader on Sunday to make it up. The Jags were able to clinch the series by splitting to double bill.
They won the first game of the day by a score of 9-5 by jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
The Jags then fell in the second game of the day by a score of 17-7. ULL scored in six of seven innings and used two five-run innings to avoid the series sweep.
The Jags improved their overall record to 39-14 and 19-8 in Sun Belt play. USA continues to hold onto first place in the conference by one game over Troy.
First place in the conference will be determined this week when the Jags host Troy for the regular season final in a three game series at Eddie Stanky Field. The two teams will face on on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30pm each game.
USA Set To Host 2013 NCAA Softball Regional This Weekend
The 2013 South Alabama Softball Team earned their second consecutive SBC Tournament title after defeated WKU 2-0 on Saturday, May 11, 2013 | sunbeltsports.org
The University of South Alabama was named a #13 seed in the NCAA Division I Softball Championships that will get underway this weekend. But that is not where the good news ended for the University. They were also named a Regional Host for the 2013 NCAA Softball Championships.
The Jags earned an automatic berth in the championships by winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament title for the second consecutive year. But with a 45-7 record overall, the Jags were seeded 13th and named a regional host for the first time in program history.
South Alabama will host Mississippi Valley State (24-26), Mississippi State (32-22) and Florida State (41-16). Each of the regional games will be aired on ESPN3 and is one of seven NCAA Regionals that will be aired on one of ESPN’s many platforms.
Mississippi State and Florida State will square off in game one at 3:30pm then South Alabama and MVSU will face off in Game two at 6pm on Friday. Friday’s winners will face each other in the first of three games on Saturday. While the two losers from Friday will face each other in the second game on Saturday in an elimination game. Then the winner of Saturday’s final game will take on the winner of the first game of the day on Sunday with an rematch later on Sunday if needed.
The winner of the Mobile Regional will face the winner of the Austin Regional which includes #4 seed Texas, Houston, South Carolina and Army.
Last season the Jags appeared in their first-ever NCAA Championships and defeated Georgia Tech twice at the Tuscaloosa Regional to advance to the final, but fell to Alabama, the host, with the Tide going on to win the National Championship against Oklahoma.
The Jags defeated Mississippi State 3-2 to begin the 2013 season and shout out Florida State 4-0 on April 10.
Tickets for the Mobile Regional will go on sale Tuesday and may be purchased at the Mitchell Center, over the phone by calling the athletic ticket office or in person at Jaguar Field on the day of the game. Gates will open on hour before first pitch of the first game each day. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students, children and senior citizens for a tournament pass. Or $7 for adults and $5 for students, childred and seniors for per-day passes. Children under two do not require a ticket.
Go Jags!
Lady Jaguars Defeat WKU 2-0 To Earn Second Consecutive SBC Tournament Title
The 2013 South Alabama Softball Team earned their second consecutive SBC Tournament title after defeated WKU 2-0 on Saturday, May 11, 2013 | sunbeltsports.org
South Alabama’s Hannah Campbell pitched a complete-game shutout as the #18 ranked Jaguars defeated Western Kentucky 2-0 in the championship game to earn it’s second consecutive Sun Belt Conference Tournament title.
Hannah was not only named the Player of the Game, but also the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row. She struck out three and did not allow a walk in the win.
Brittany Fowler reached base in all four of her appearances at the plate on Saturday. She went 2-for-2 with a single and a double and two walks and an RBI.
Alex Breeden delivered her first RBI in five games in the top of the fifth and the Jags really needed it. She singled to left field and drove in Stephanie Pilkington, who was pinch running for Haley Fagan, to put the Jaguars up 2-0. Just before Breeden delivered her hit, she made solid contact on the first pitch from the WKU pitcher which broke the bat with a piece flying towards the pitchers circle.
Emily Rousseau, who was named pitcher of the year in the Sun Belt Conference prior to the tournament, gave Western Kentucky all she had to get into the championship game. The WKU ace threw all 10 innings in a 7-4 win over ULL to earn their spot in the championship game for the first time since 2005. Which led to WKU putting their number-two starter Mallorie Sulaski in the circle to pitch at the last minute.
Sulaski, a senior, did well against the Jags through four innings by only allowing tow hits and pitching herself out of three separate situations where Jags were in scoring position.
Hannah Campbell retired the final four WKU batters as the Jags cruised to their 16th consecutive win and improving her record to 21-7 on the season. She also lowered her NCAA-leading ERA to 0.86 and she has not allowed a run in the last 18 1/3 innings. She and Farish Beard and the rest of the Jaguar pitching staff has combined to not allow a run in the last 15 1/3 innings.
The Jags batted .216 in the tournament while holding their opponents to a .135 average.
Along with Hannah’s honor as Most Outstanding Player, Britany Campbell, Brittany Fowler and Kaitlyn Griffith were all named to the 2013 Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team.
The NCAA softball selection show will air live on ESPNU at 9pm Central time on Sunday. The Jags will host a viewing party at Heroes Sports Grill on Hillcrest just off of Old Shell Road on Sunday from 8-10pm. Friends, Family and Fans are all welcome to join the team as they anxiously await word of who they will be playing and if they will be selected to host a Regional tournament.
GO JAGS!!
Farish Beard Two-Hits North Texas To Advance To Championship Game Saturday
Farish Beard tossed a two-hit complete-game shutout for the #2 seeded South Alabama Jaguars to defeat #4 seeded North Texas on Friday to earn a 5-0 win and advance to the Championship game on Saturday.
Beard is still undefeated on the season with a 21-0 record as the struck out 10 while extending the Jaguars winning streak to 15 consecutive games and also extending an impressive 18 consecutive innings without allowing a run for the Jags.
The Jags would not get their first hit of the game until the fourth inning when Blair Johnson would lead off with a single to center field. Kaitlyn Griffith and Meghan Collins would both walk with two outs to load the bases. Johnson would score on a fielding error for the first run of the game.
With the bases still full, a passed ball would lead to scores by Griffith and Collins. Then Emily Messer would walk and Britany Campbell would single to right field to put the Jags up 4-0.
They would add one more run in the fifth inning as SBC Freshman of the Year Haley Fagan would hit an RBI double to left field with two outs to score Johnson from first base.
UNT’s only hits came in the third inning with a single up the middle and another single to right field to put runners on first and second with two outs. But Beard would get out of the inning by forcing a foul out to the catcher.
The undefeated Jaguars will face the winner of #1 seed Western Kentucky and #3 Seed Louisiana-Lafayette that will get underway at 9am on Saturday. The Championship game will get underway at 3:00pm on Saturday from Troy, Alabama and can be seen on ESPN3.com online and CSS/CST on local cable carriers.
Go Jags!!
Jags Baseball Travel To Lafeyette For Weekend Series Beginning Tonight
The South Alabama Jaguar baseball team will travel to Lafayette, Louisiana for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Ragin’ Cajuns.
Jarron Cito, 4-2 on the season with a 5.21 ERA will make his 13th start of the season in the opening game tonight at 6pm. He will face off against Austin Robichaux who is 7-2 on the season with a 2.92 ERA.
The Jags lead the Sun Belt standings with a 37-13 record overall and a 17-7 record in conference play while winning 10 of their last 11 games. They have also won their last five consecutive Sun Belt series and swept their last two conference road series.
ULL is 34-15 on the season and 15-9 in Sun Belt play. They enter the game with a three-game winning streak after sweeping Arkansas State las weekend in Fayafette. They lead the nation in home runs with 57 and have homers in 12 consecutive games.
Hannah Campbell No-Hits #21 ULL At SBC Tournament
Hannah Campbell threw her second no-hitter of her career against #21 Louisiana-Lafeyette on Thursday at the Sun Belt Tournament | usajaguars.com
The South Alabama Jaguar softball team played a thriller on Thursday evening in a rematch of last years championship game. Hannah Campbell threw her second career no-hitter to snap #21 ranked Louisiana-Lafayette’s 23 game winning streak.
The only hit of the game came from the bat of senior outfielder Britany Campbell. She knocked a two-out 2-2 pitch up the middle to score freshman designated player Emily Messer from first base in the top of the eighth inning.
A moment of controversy happened a half inning earlier when ULL led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to left center field but was called out at first after failing to touch the base on her trip. ULL head coach Michael Lotief argued with the officials but the call stood and the player was sent back to the dugout.
The win gave the Jags their 43rd win of the season, a new program-record.
Hannah Campbell struck out a season high 13 batters with no walks and no hits. ULL ace Jordan Wallace struck out 10 but she gave up a walk before allowing her only hit to Messer which allowed the only earned run of the game.
The Jags will will play in Game 12 at 5:30pm in the semifinal game. They will face the winner of game 10 of the SBC Championships which start at 12:30 between #4 North Texas and #7 Troy. The winner between the Jags and whomever their opponent is will earn a spot in the SBC Championship Game on Saturday at 3pm.
Go Jags!!
Jags Defeat Troy 5-1 In First Round Of SBC Softball Championship
Kaitlyn Griffith went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run and 3 RBI in the Jags first round game against Troy | usajaguars.com
The #2 seed South Alabama Jaguar softball team defeated #7 seeded Troy 5-1 in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament on Wednesday night at Troy Softball Complex.
Jags sophomore second baseman Kaitlyn Griffith led the Jags by going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI in the win. This was the Jags first game in almost two weeks and put up five runs on seven hits in the first three innings. The Jags improve their overall record to 42-7, the most wins in program history, on the season and 2-0 over Troy this season, they shut them out at Jaguar Field in April as Farish Beard threw her first career no-hitter.
Starter Hannah Campbell struck out five and allowed only one earned run as she got her 19th win of the season and continued to hold the nation’s best ERA at 0.94.
In the bottom of the first inning Julie Moss (All-Conference first team selection) and Haley Fagan (SBC Player of the Year) got back-to-back two-out singles before Griffith (All-Conference first-team at-large selection) nailed her ninth home run of the season to put the Jags up 3-0.
Two innings later, in the bottom of the third inning, Fowler led off with a double to left-center then scored on Blair Johnson’s single when Troy’s right fielder mishandled the ball. Johnson would later score on a Trojan passed ball to put the Jags up 5-0.
Troy would score in the top of the fourth inning after a walk and back-to-back singles. But Hannah Campbell would settle down and would retire nine of the final 11 batters to close out the game.
The #2 seeded Jags will face #3 seeded Louisiana-Lafayette, a rematch of last year’s championship game where the Jags earned their first-ever Conference Championship. ULL defeated FIU in extra innings on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 5:30pm.
The University sports website will have a radio broadcast of the game free of charge and will have live video and state through the multimedia section. Follow this link for access.
Jags Shutout SLU 9-0 Tuesday Evening
The South Alabama baseball team shutout Southeastern Louisiana 9-0 on Tuesday evening.
Jaguar’s Jame Traylor allowed just four hits in six innings of work with four strikeouts and only two walks to earn his fifth win of the season. He combined with Hunter Soleymani, Dylan Stamey and Kyle Bartch for the shutout. They combined to allow only one hit with five combined strikeouts.
The Jags took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. They then loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning and Jeff Deblieux drew a walk to increase the lead to 3-0. A sacrifice fly would add another run to make it 4-0.
In the bottom of the third inning, Robby Campbell would drive in Nolan Earley on a double to left-center field to increase the Jaguar lead to 5-0.
SLU would load the bases in the top of the fifth inning, but Traylor would induce a 4-3 inning ending ground out to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, a two-out, two-run single by Cole Billingsley would increase the Jaguar lead to 7-0. They would get another run on a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh by Jordan Patterson.
The final run would come on a bases-loaded, pinch hit RBI single to center field in the bottom of the eighth inning by Cole Jarman.
The Jags will travel to Louisiana-Lafayette this weekend for their next-to-last series of the regular season. First pitch is set for 6pm on Friday evening. The game can be heard on 105.5 WSNP in the Mobile area and streamed online at WNSP.com.
Brittany Fowler Named SBC Player Of The Year; Eight Lady Jags Named To All-Conference Team
Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson presents Brittany Fowler with her plaque honoring her as Sun Belt Player Of The Year Tuesday at Troy. Fowler, a senior, is the first Jaguar to be named Player of the Year. | usajaguars.com
The University of South Alabama’s Brittany Fowler, a senior on the softball team, was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, another first in Jaguar history. In addition eight total Jaguars were named to the All-Conference team on Tuesday.
The announcement came at Troy’s Family Night on Tuesday before the Sun Belt tournament begins on Wednesday. The selections were made by a vote of the conference’s nine head coaches.
Fowler led the league with a .518 batting average and a .645 on-base percentage against conference foes. The Jacksonville, Florida native batted a .406 average, slugged for .648 with 48 runs scored, eight home runs and 31 RBI.
She was also a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases and won SBC player of the week honors on March 18.
Additionally Haley Fagan was named SBC Freshman of the Year after leading the conference in slugging percentage with .883, home runs with 7, RBI with 30 and total bases with 53. The Dunnellon, Florida native third baseman hit for .433 against conference foes and also picked up a SBC weekly honor on April 22.
Fowler and Fagan were two of the eight Jaguars selected to the All-Conference team. Hannah Campbell, Blair Johnson, Julie Moss and at-large selection Kaitlyn Griffith joined the pair on the first team.
Farish Beard and Britany Campbell earned second team All-Conference honors.
Emily Rousseau of Western Kentucky was named Pitcher of the Year and Tyra Perry, also of WKU, was named Coach of the Year.
Congratulations Brittany and congratulations to all of the Lady Jaguars honored on Tuesday. But also congratulations to the Coach Clark, the staff and the rest of the team for an amazing season so far, but it’s only just beginning. Go get’em at the conference tournament and the NCAA Regionals. We will be supporting you all the way!
GO JAGS!
USA Men’s Golf Earn First-Ever At-Large Bid To NCAA Regional
The South Alabama Men’s Golf team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional. The Jags have participated in the NCAA Regional on six occasions prior to the the 2012-’13 season. However the at-large bid is the first in the programs history.
They will particpate in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional as a #8 seed in a field of 13 teams and 10 individuals. The top five schools and the highest finishing individual not on those teams will advance to the NCAA Championships which will be held in ALpharetta, Georgia at the Capital City Club Crabapple Course from May 28 through June 2.
Teams also participating in the Baton Rouge Regional include in order of seeding: Alabama, Florida, LSU (the host), Mississippi State, Houston, Northwestern, Tennessee, South Alabama, Coastal Carolina, UAB, Wichita State, Southeastern Louisiana and Houston Baptist.
The regional will be held on May 16 with 18 holes scheduled for three consecutive days.