South Alabama Baseball Opening Night Friday
South Alabama Baseball Opens the 2012 Season Friday at 6:30 PM vs. College of Charleston!
The South Alabama Baseball Team will host the College of Charleston in a weekend series at Stanky Field. The weekend series will begin Friday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, February 18 at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, February 19 at 1 p.m. Saturday is $1 Hot Dog Day…purchase $1 hot dogs from 1-2 p.m. Sunday is “Family Day”…You can purchase (4) tickets, (4) hot dogs, (4) Pepsis and (2) Jaguar T-shirts for only $30. Come out and support Head Coach Mark Calvi and the Jaguars. Season tickets are on sale now starting at only $50 per seat, and when you purchase the family deal…one adult season ticket you get one child’s season ticket for free. The 2012 schedule includes home games versus Alabama, Auburn, Southern Miss and the Sun Belt Conference. Call 461-1USA to secure your seats today.
You may purchase your tickets in advance at the Mitchell Center ticket office M-F 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. or at the ticket sales windows as you enter Stanky Field. Ticket prices are as follows: Box Seats $10, Chair Back Seats $8; General Admission: Adults $5; Seniors $4; Children 2-12 $4 and Children under 2 are free. Group tickets for 15 people or more starting at $3 per ticket.
For more information please call 461-1USA or visit for a full season schedule and further information www.usajaguars.com.
South Alabama Baseball to host “First Pitch Banquet” February 7th
South Alabama Baseball will host the First Pitch Banquet Tuesday, February 7th at the USS Alabama Battleship Pavilion from 5:30-8 p.m. The event will feature former and current Jaguar major leaguers, including 2011 World Series and National League Championship Series MVP David Freese, the USA coaching staff and the 2012 Jaguar baseball team.
Currently confirmed as attending are Jaguar major leaguers P.J. Walters, Marlon Anderson, Jon Lieber, Lance Johnson and Allen Battle with the possibility of more confirming soon. Reservations for specialty tables with a Major Leaguer, first-year head coach Mark Calvi, former head coach Steve Kittrell and a current Jaguar student-athlete are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Individual tickets are available for $35 per person. The program will feature a silent auction, music, cash bar and buffet dinner by Namans Catering in addition to the evening’s speakers. Reservations can be made by calling (251) 461-1366 or by contacting Beth Schiavoni at bschiavoni@usouthal.edu. All proceeds will go directly to benefit South Alabama Baseball.
For more information please visit http://usajaguars.com/news/
Go Jags!
Mark Calvi From South Carolina Named Head Coach In Waiting
South Alabama formally announced the hiring of Mark Calvi as the ‘coach-in-waiting’ to replace Coach Steve Kittrell at the end of the 2011 season. Coach Kittrell announced his intentions to retire back in June.
Calvi was the pitching coach for the University of South Carolina, who just won the College World Series. He was named associate head coach and ‘head coach in waiting’ on Thursday and will be formally introduced on Friday at 1pm at a press conference at the Mitchell Center. Calvi will be only the fifth head coach in the South Alabama baseball program.
Athletic Director Joel Erdmann received interest from several qualified candidate, but chose Mark in the end. Erdmann stated the following about Calvi, “Obviously, we’re very excited about hiring Mark. He brings not only a wealth of coaching experience to the table, but a demeanor and various intangibles that are going to make him a great member of this family. A facet of the game that we looked deeply at was pitching, and his background in that area — as well as in recruiting, and his familiarity with the Sun Belt Conference, the southeast region and the nation — is very impressive. Mark has been with two very, very good programs, and he has demonstrated loyalty and longevity to those schools. And the key is that he has had success — success that includes conference championship levels and Regionals, while rising to Super Regionals and Omaha on the way to a national championship.”
Calvi has spent the previous six seasons at South Carolina and helped the Gamecocks to rank amon the SEC and NCAA leaders in pitching. He also spent 11 years at Sun Belt Conference foe Florida International. He has worked with 35, an impressive number, of pitchers that have either been drafted or signed with Major League teams.
This past season where the Gamecocks won the National Championship, his staff ranked in the top 10 nationally in ERA (3.75 7th in nation), strikeouts (8.9, 6th) and hits allowed (7.48 3rd) per 9 innings. While in the College World Series they posted a 2.15 ERA. The Gamecocks also finished the season with a sub 4.00 ERA and reached the NCAA Regional each of his six seasons in Columbia, SC.
While at Florida International, they advanced to the NCAA Regional seven times and the 2001 Super Regional. In 1995, the Golden Panther staff led the country with an ERA of 2.40. Add in their 16 shutouts which ties them with the 6th highest total in NCAA history.
Calvi is 41 and a native of Marco Island, FL.
Welcome to the Jaguar Nation Coach Calvi. You have big shoes to fill but we think you are the man to do it.
Coach Kittrell Confirms His Retirement
It was confirmed on Wednesday that Coach Steve Kittrell will retire after the 2011 season, the last year of his contract with South Alabama. Coach Kittrell said that he and his wife Carol have been discussing retirement the last four years or so. He decided that he was “tired of going back to his motel room alone after a 3-2 loss.”
Joel Erdmann, South Alabama Athletic Director and a former assistant to coach Kittrell in the mid 90’s, said that the coaching search is ‘wide open’. They also hope to have Kittrell’s successor named and to serve as his assistant coach and coach-in-waiting for the 2011 season. This is being done as an effort to maintain recruiting continuity in the highly competitive college baseball realm.
Erdmann will spearhead the search and as he said, “It’s a marquee job int he sport of college baseball, there’s going to be some heads turned, and there are heads turned. We’re going to have different types of coaches from various backgrounds that are going to take a run at this thing.” Also speaking about having the coach-in-waiting, he said “We need to have the ability to get into homes soon and clarify the situation and say, ‘Next year, your son will be playing for me.”
Coach Kittrell salary of $125,000 will likely be comprable to what the new coach’s salary would be. Additionally the new coach will be required to have a college degree which will eliminate some candidates.
Some former South Alabama major league players Mike Mordecai and Turner Ward have been mentioned as potential replacement candidates. However neither have a degree from South Alabama.
Tony David has been mentioned as well and he is a former USA players who is the associate head coach at Samford. Scot Sealy was stressed by Kittrell should be considered. Kittrell also mentioned that other former players should be considered as well.
Coach Kittrell Retirement Announcement Tomorrow
Tomorrow at 2pm it is expected that South Alabama Baseball coach Steve Kittrell will announce his retirement. He has one year remaining on his contract and it is expected to be his last.
Coach Kittrell will turn 62 in November and will be entering his 28th year with the program. His record stands at 1,022-611-1 at USA and 1,055-630-1 overall. He has 18 NCAA tournament appearances and 10 Sun Belt Championships to show for his time at South Alabama.
Coach Kittrell has seen over 100 former players sign professional contracts and 17 have made it to the major leagues.
Let the speculation begin. Who is on Dr. Erdmann’s list? Will they try to make a splash with a former player/major leaguer? Will they try to pluck a coach from another program? Is there someone on the coaching staff to promote to head coach?
Are Some South Alabama Fans Calling For A Coaching Change?
In this mornings Sound Off in the Mobile Press-Register, a reader wrote in criticizing the Jaguar baseball coaching staff. This is rightly so, the team has not performed well since 2006 and the ERA lately has been over 6. So, what is the Athletics Department to do?
With Coach Kitrell’s past success and general likability in the community, it would be a hard sell to fire him. It doesn’t seem like Coach K wants to retire either. However, they might be able to convince him that this would be the best for the program. Either way, what do you do?
Probably the most likely to happen is a shake-up in the staff. Pitching is definitely an area where the bullseye would probably fall. Another area where things could change would be the position of recruiting coordinator.
Recruiting is definitely a tough area for College Baseball. When good high school players graduate, their first inclination is to try to make it in the Minor Leagues. This is the shorter route to possibly making it to the Major Leagues. If they go to college, they may get drafted early in their collegiant career and go play in the Minors. But again, because it’s the shortest route, you don’t go from College to the Majors.
South Alabama and the other programs must have top notch recruiters in order to convince these kids to come to their program. Currently, pitching is at a premium. Which is why you see major league pitchers receiving high paying deals while clubs are scouring minor league teams for the next pitching prospect.
So what is the answer for the South Alabama baseball program? I think it’s too early after the major letdown at the end of the season to determine that. This may be the first major decision the new Athletic Director Joel Erdmann will have to face at South Alabama.
Would Luis Gonzalez like to become a college baseball coach? It could be a big boom in recruiting and his alma mater might be searching.
After Dropping Two Consecutive Games USA Is Eliminated From SBC Tournament
After an inspiring start on Wednesday, the Jags fell in the second round of the Sun Belt Tournament to top seeded Florida Atlantic. Thought they didn’t go down without a fight.
Trailing 10-4 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, USA could only manage to score two runs after they loaded the bases with with no outs. In the bottom of the ninth, still trailing 10-6, the Jags scored a run before Jags loaded the bases again with no outs. After a fielders choice scored another run, a single through the right side loaded the bases again. A sacrifice fly ball to right would score another run, but was stranded after that when the game ended 10-9.
On Friday, the Jags found themselves facing Florida International, whom they defeated the first day to put them in the losers bracket. FIU scored eight runs in the first four innings but South Alabama would rally for six runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 8-7.
The top of the seventh would see the Jags tie the game at eight, but was answered by the Owls in the bottom half of the inning with two runs. The top of the eighth inning had the Jags score their final run of the game.
Trailing by a run in the top of the ninth, they got a one out single to right field, however the runner could not be advanced past first base. So for the second consecutive game the Jags fell 10-9 but were eliminated from the Sun Belt Tournament.
The Jags end the season with an overall record of 32-27 after stranding 12 runners on base against for the game.
Jags Still Holding Onto Postseason Baseball Hopes
While the Jags lost five of the last six games of the season, at least they sent the seniors out on a winning note against Troy. After dropping the first two games at home, the Jags won 11-10 on Saturday’s Senior Day.
The season ending losing streak took the Jags from first place to fifth place and will open the Sun Belt Tournament against fourth seeded Florida International on Wednesday at 9am. FIU started the Jaguars losing streak with a three game sweep in Miami.
However, an interesting note about this is that the last time the Jaguars won the Sun Belt Tournament in 2005 the Jaguars lost five of their last six regular season games.
The Jags need to win the SBC Tournament in order to get a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The eight participants in the Tournament in order of their seeding are: 1) Florida Atlantic, 2) Lousiana-Lafayette, 3) Middle Tennessee, 4) Florida International, 5) South Alabama, 6) Troy, 7) Arkansas State and 8) Western Kentucky. As usual with baseball tournaments, this is a double elimination tournament.
Go Jags!
Jags Baseball Get Swept Out Of First Place
South Alabama‘s baseball team tumbled down the Sun Belt standings over the weekend when they were swept by Florida International in their weekend series.
South Alabama fell to 30-23 for the season and 16-11 in the Sun Belt while FIU improved to 30-20 overall and 16-11 in the Sun Belt. The Jags fell to 5th place in the Sun Belt, a full three games behind Florida Atlantic who is in first place. The full Sun Belt rankings are: FAU (19-8), ULL (18-9), MTSU (17-10), FIU (16-11), USA (16-11), ASU (15-12), Troy (14-13), WKU (14-13), UALR (10-15), ULM (7-20) and UNO (2-26).
The Jags have a three game home stand against Troy to end the season, while FAU’s regular season has concluded. While the Jags have a chance to improve their SBC tournament ranking, but the other teams the Jags need to leap-from also play lower ranked teams. Another weekend sweep would be disastrous for the Jags.
So come out to Stanky Field and support the Jags during this pivotal weekend series as they try to make the NCAA Tournament.
Jags Baseball Surrender First Place To Florida Atlantic
The Jags fell to second place in the Sun Belt after this past weekend’s three game series at Stanky Field. After falling 7-2 to FAU on Friday night, the Jags came from behind on Saturday night to win 6-5 on a walk-off balk in the 9th inning.
On Sunday afternoon, the Jags lost 6-3 to FAU after a squandering a 3-0 lead in the top of the eighth inning. The Jags allowed five runs on six hits in the top of the eighth, including back-to-back home runs to take the lead 5-3. FAU added an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
So the Jags went into the weekend with a one game lead over FAU but leave the weekend trailing by one game. FAU improves to 18-8 in the Sun Belt and 30-17 for the season while the Jags fall to 16-7 in the Sun Belt and 29-19 on the season.
The Jags still control their own fate though with two more Sun Belt series left in the regular season while FAU only has one series left against FIU.
The Jags have their last non-conference game tomorrow night at Stanky Field when they host #18 ranked Auburn University then they will travel to FIU for a three game weekend series followed by a Thursday through Saturday series at Stanky Field hosting Troy University to end the regular season.