#24 Jaguar Softball hosts #7 Lousiana-Lafayette for three-game Series at Jaguar Field
This is a huge weekend for South Alabama Softball.
The #24 ranked Jags (15-3) open their Sun Belt Conference schedule by hosting #7 ranked Louisiana-Lafayette (15-2) for a three-game series at Jaguar Field.
USA and ULL have split the last 12 matches and have met for the Sun Belt Conference’s automatic bid twice in the last three seasons. The Cajuns will bring the reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year Christina Hamilton and 2012 and 2013 first team All-Sun Belt choice Jordan Wallace. The Jags will counter with 2014 first team All-Sun Belt selection Farish Beard and two-time Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week in her freshman Season Devin Brown.
The Cajuns pitching has held opponents to a .147 batting average and 16 runs over 106 2/3 innings. The Jaguars have allowed opponents to hit .176 and to score 41 runs in 120 innings.
ULL faced #4 ranked Alabama last weekend in Tuscaloosa, so this is their second-consecutive weekend in Alabama to face a top-25 teams.
The series opens on Saturday with a double-header beginning at noon and the second game at 2pm. The third and final game of the series will get underway at 1pm on Sunday.
Go Jags!
South Alabama 2015 Football schedule and Spring Game Dates Released
South Alabama, in conjunction with the Sun Belt Conference office, released the full 2015 football schedule late last week. Previously the dates had only been set for the Jaguars non-conference schedule and the Jaguars knew who in the conference they would be facing, but not the dates.
The 2015 schedule will be a good one. USA has two nationally-televised home games on the ESPN family of networks this fall. The first will be on Tuesday, October 13 at 8pm against Arkansas State on ESPN2. The second will be against Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday, November 12 on ESPNU.
Here is the complete football schedule:
- September 5 vs Garner-Webb Time:TBA
- September 12 @ Nebraska Time:TBA
- September 19 @ San Diego State Time:TBA
- September 26 vs North Carolina State Time:TBA
- October 3 @ Troy Time:TBA
- October 13 vs Arkansas State Time: 8PM
- October 24 @ Texas State Time:TBA
- November 7 vs Idaho Time:TBA
- November 12 vs Louisiana-Lafayette Time:TBA
- November 21 @ Georgia State Time:TBA
- November 28 @ Georgia Southern Time:TBA
- December 5 vs Appalachian State Time:TBA
Five of the 12 teams they face this season participated in bowl games last year including five Sun Belt teams that finished tied or ahead of the Jags in the final conference standings. Eight of the 12 posted winning records last season with three, Georgia Southern, Louisiana-lafayette and Nebraska, all earning nine wins last season.
Kickoff times for the games are yet to be determined.
This week the Jaguars announced when spring practices would start and announced the date of the annual Red-Blue Spring Game.
The Jags will hit the practice fields in less than two weeks as they start their spring schedule on Monday, March 16 for the first of 15 workouts over the span of four weeks. The full spring practice schedule will be released before spring drills begin.
The annual Red-Blue game is scheduled for noon on Saturday, April 11 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and will be part of a big weekend of South Alabama sports. The Red-Blue game starts at noon, the nationally ranked Jaguar softball team will host Georgia Southern starting at 1pm at Jaguar Field and the baseball team will host Appalachian State at Eddie Stanky Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:30pm.
Freddie Roach leaving USA reportedly for off-field position at Alabama
South Alabama assistant coach Freddie Roach has left the Jaguar program, reportedly for a position at the University of Alabama. | Photo: usajaguars.com
Assistant coach Freddie Roach has accepted an unspecified position at the University of Alabama per reports by FootballScoop.com and AL.com. For the past two seasons he coached outside linebackers and defensive ends for the Jaguars.
Alabama currently does not have an on-field coaching position open, so it is likely that he is taking an off-field position.
Roach played linebacker at Alabama from 2002-2005 and returned as an assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2008-2010. He then spent a year at East Mississippi Community College in 2011 serving as the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning assistant at Murray State in 2012. He then came to South Alabama.
South Alabama Assistant Director of Media Relations Brian Fremund confirmed to AL.com that Roach has left the Jaguar staff.
Roach is the only defensive assistant to leave the program this off season. After the conclusion of the regular season, Robert Matthews was dismissed and replaced by former UAB offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent.
After the Jaguars first bowl game, head coach Joey Jones dismissed tight ends coach John Turner and running backs coach Robby Brown. Jones and Vincent brought in former UAB assistant Richard Owens to coach tight ends and former Alabama recruiting coordinator Tyler Siskey to coach the receivers, which shifted Tim Bowen from receivers to running backs coach.
Jaguar Men’s Golf hold One-Shot Lead Going Into Final Round of Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate
Photo: Mike Kittrell al.com
The South Alabama men’s golf team improved by 16-strokes from their first-round total to take a one-shot lead heading into the final day of the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate.
Daniel Jansen, Michael Garretson and Tyler Klava each shot 70 or better over the second 18 holes on Monday with Matt Sheehan and Ally Purdy both shooting a 74 as the jags posted a 5-under-par 283 in the second round.
The Jags are one shot ahead of 22nd ranked Auburn and Ole Miss with the three schools scheduled to play together in Tuesday’s final round at Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course. They will begin at 10am with a shotgun start, two hours later than originally scheduled.
Team Scores:
1) South Alabama 299-283—582 (+6);
T2) Auburn 291-292—583;
T2) Mississippi 292-291—583;
4) Memphis 302-285—587;
5) Louisiana Tech 294-294—588;
6) Michigan State 302-288—590;
7) Middle Tennessee 300-296—596;
8) Texas State 303-294—597;
T9) Davidson 307-298—605;
T9) Southern Mississippi 302-303—605;
T11) Mississippi State 309-298—607;
T11) Kentucky 309-298—607;
13) Western Kentucky 318-294—612;
14) Belmont 311-303—614;
15) Illinois State 321-302—623.
Individual Leaders:
1) Tyler Saunders, TXST 72-66—138 (-6);
2) Matt Gilchrest, Aub 74-67—141;
3) Blake Morris, Miss 73-69—142;
T4) Ben Robinson, Tech 71-72—143;
T4) Thomas Perrot, Mem 74-69—143;
T6) Daniel Jansen, USA 75-69—144;
T6) Mitch Rutledge, Mich St 76-68—144;
T6) Ashton Van Horne, BU 74-70—144;
T9) five individuals with 145.
South Alabama Scores:
T6) Daniel Jansen 75-69—144 (E);
T9) Michael Garretson 75-70—145;
T9) Tyler Klava 75-70—145;
T34) Matt Sheehan 74-77—151;
T40) Ally Purdy 78-74—152.
Jaguar Baseball Defeats Auburn 7-4
Junior Austin Bembnowski threw eight scoreless innings in relief to lead the Jaguar baseball team a 7-4 win over Auburn at Eddie Stanky Field Tuesday night and to a 4-0 record so far this season. He retired 13 of the first 14 Tigers he faced, and allowed only three hits and two walks while striking out six.
Auburn lept out to a three run lead in the top of the first inning as Jaguar starter Jared Gates walked the first two batters of the game. Both baserunners moved up one base on a sacrifice bunt by Jordon Ebert. Then Bo Decker hit a two-run double down the left field line to go up 2-0. Cody Nulph hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield to plate Decker for the 3-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the first, the Jaguar loaded the bases with one out after a single by Garrett DeGallier. Cole Gleason reached base after being hit by a pitch, then Daniel Martinez got on base on an error by the Tiger center fielder. Jared Barnes’ sacrifice fly to center field would score the only Jaguar run of the inning to make the score 3-1 through one inning.
Auburn would answer with a run in the top of the second after Kyler Deese led off the inning with a walk. He would later score on a wild pitch by Bembnowski to make the score 4-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Jaguars finally answered with a pair of runs after Barnes and Connor Hawthorne reached on consecutive leadoff singles. Ryan Raspino would advance the runners on a groundout to third. Then Adam Ballew hit a two-run single to left field to cut the Tiger lead down to 4-3.
South Alabama would then add four more runs over the next two inning as they went on to win.
Barnes went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Jaguars offensive attack. Ballew also finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. COllura had two hits with an RBI and a run scored. Rapino also had two hits and a run scored.
Auburn righty Keegan Thompson (1-1) allowed six runs on eight hits and a walk through 5 1/3 innings to take the loss. Bembnowski (1-0) earned the win.
“It was tough falling behind early like that,” head coach Mark Calvi said. “But our guys kept fighting and we put some good at-bats together. They kept playing hard and we got back into it. We had one strikeout tonight, which was outstanding. We made them (Auburn) work for everything, and made them field every ball.
“Bembnowski was really good; he settled the game down for us. I didn’t plan to use him that long. It was going to be a long-relief role but he kept going out there and getting back in on offense. He’s an extremely strong kid, and he was ready to go out there and compete.”
South Alabama (4-0) will return to action this weekend they host Arkansas, #13 Maryland and Central Florida at Eddie Stanky Field as part of a round-robin tournament. The Jags will open the weekend tournament against #13 Maryland on Friday at 6:30pm.
USA Sports go 8-1 In Weekend Games
South Alabama had a successful weekend slate of home games this past weekend by going 8-1 in all four sports played on campus this weekend.
Men’s Basketball
The Jaguar men’s basketball team used a fast start to hold on against Texas-Arlington 97-91. USA held a 20-point lead at halftime but the Mavericks outscored the Jags 62-48 in the second half, as the Jags committed 14 of their 20 turnovers in the second half, but were unable to overcome the deficit.
The Jags improve their overall record to 9-17 and their conference record to 7-8. Texas-Arlington fell to 14-10 overall and 8-6 in conference play.
Sophomore Ken Williams led all scorers with a career-high 29 points with a personal best eight rebounds. He connected on six of 10 three-point attempts, five of them made in the first half. He was also 9-of-11 from the free-throw line.
They travel to Georgia State on Thursday to take on the Panthers for a 6pm tip.
Softball
The #24 ranked Lady Jaguars completed a four-game sweep of the Mardi Gras Invitational.
The weekend began on Friday with a 5-4 win over Oklahoma State. The game was decided in the bottom of the seventh when Stephanie Pilkington drew a bases-loaded walk to end the game.
On Saturday, the Jags scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and third innings then were able to cruise to the 4-1 win over Lipscomb. Freshman Kalen McGill earned her second win of the season (2-0) where the recorded three strikeouts an no walks. She only allowed a single earned run on four hits with her ERA holding at 0.51.
Read more
Minahan’s Walk-off, two-run double closes out 2015 Sand Dollar Classic
The South Alabama Softball team went 2-1 over the weekend at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores to improve their overall record to 3-2 in their opening weekend of of the season.
On Friday, the Jaguars started freshman right-hander Devin Brown in the circle for her first collegiate start. She pitched a one-hit shutout against Liberty for her first collegiate win.
Junior outfielder Stephanie Pilkington and sophomore Chloe Rathburn each went 2-for-3 with three RBI to help lead the Jaguar offensive attack. Freshman second baseman Kaleigh Todd and senior outfielder Alyssa Linn accounted for a pair of runs each. Senior Amanda Herron, Junior Emily Messer and freshman Haleigh Lowe each scored runs as the Jaguars had 10 hits in the 8-0 win.
On Saturday the Jags split a pair of games starting with a 0-1 loss to Eastern Kentucky. USA left nine runners on agaisnt the Colonels, but Devin Brown’s wild pitch in the fifth inning scored the decisive run.
In the nightcap, the Jags rebounded from their loss earlier in the day to defeat McNeese State 5-1. The Jags outhit the Cowgirls 7-5.
USA used four pitchers to hold the Cowgirls to only one run with senior Farish Beard starting then relievers Kaleigh Floore, Kalen McGill and Devin Brown each filling in. Brown, who started her first game on Friday, picked up her first career save.
Kaitlyn Griffith led the Jags by going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Amanda Minahan also went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs.
On Sunday, the Jags were down 0-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning to Houston when the Jags dug in and began their comeback.
USA hit three singles to load the bases. Kaleigh Todd would cut the deficit in half with an RBI groundout.
But it was sophomore Amanda Minahan that gave the Jaguars the heroics they needed. With two out and two on base, she delivered a clutch two-run walk-off double to left field giving the Jaguars the 3-2 win in the final contest of the 2015 Sand Dollar Classic.
Devin Brown struck out 11 and allowed only one earned run on six hits while walking three to improve her record to 2-1.
Senior Kaitlyn Griffith sparked the comeback with a leadoff single through the left side. Senior Alex Breeden followed with a single to right field. Then Amanda Herron singled through the left side to load the bags with Jags.
None of the players had recorded a hit in the game until that point, including Minahan.
The Jags will host the 2015 Mardi Gras Invitational where they will face Oklahoma State on Friday, February 13 at Jaguar Field. They will then face Lipscomb and Butler on Saturday and close out the weekend with University of Evansville.
Alabama Rallies in Seventh Inning to Defeat Jags 2-1
#23 South Alabama held a 1-0 lead entering the seventh inning but a Jaguar fielding error allowed two runs to score and spoiling South Alabama’s season opener at home with a 2-1 loss to #3 ranked Alabama.
Kaleigh Todd drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the third inning then stole second base. Sophomore Chloe Rathburn then put the Jaguars ahead with a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Todd.
Senior Farish Beard allowed only one hit through 6 1/3 innings before the Tide’s Demi Turner reached base on a bunt and eventually stealing second base. Then All-American Haylie McCleney drew a walk to set up Chandler Dare’s two-run hit. The loss was only Beard’s 10th of her career.
Alabama starter Leslie Jury went 5 1/3 innings allowing one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Alexis Osorio, a freshman, came in as relief to earn the win after striking out four of the seven Jaguars she faced.
Beard only allowed three hits while striking out six with a pair of walks and one earned run.
“That was a great game, and it was great for the fans,” said head coach Becky Clark. “You want to see your kids battle, and that’s what they did, they’re competitors, but, at the same time, we’ve got to execute. That’s a game that we easily could’ve won if we had executed. I think they know that.
“This game doesn’t make or break our season,” Clark added. “We’re just getting started. Early on, as a head coach, it makes you feel good about things to see your kids battle like that against a good program. We left the bases loaded, and we left runners in scoring position, so we’ve just got to execute.”
Alabama runs their record to 11-0 over the Jaguars all-time.
Both the Jags and Alabama will return to action this weekend in Gulf Shores for the Sand Dollar Classic. USA will face Liberty on Friday at 6pm, Eastern Kentucky and McNeese State on Saturday at 3pm and 6pm respectively, and Houston on Sunday at 1pm.
Jaguars Recruiting Effort Pays Off With Strong Signing Class
The 2015 South Alabama Jaguar Football Recruiting Class is a very good one. This could easily be the most talented recruiting class that Coach Jones and his staff has landed in the programs six years of existence.
The Jaguars class was ranked 3rd in the conference after a late addition bumped them up a spot. But that rating only includes the JUCO and High School student-athletes in the class, it does not include the UAB transfers. Head coach Joey Jones said at his signing day social that he has no doubt in his mind that USA has the best signing class in the conference overall.
Two things you will notice about this signing class: 1) the secondary players are tall with three of the five who signed are over six feet tall, and 2) great size.
Roy Albritton, 6’2″ 310-pound defensive lineman from Pensacola HS. He played in both the Max Emfinger All-American Bowl and the Pensacola Subway All-Star Game.
Dami Ayoola, 5’10” 200-pound running back from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. via Arizona Western CC. He helped his team go 11-1 and finish 5th in the NJCAA poll.
De’Themeus “Bull” Barge, 5’9″ 220-pound linebacker from Colquitt County HS in Georgia. He was rated a three-star athlete from 247Sports.com. He helped his team go 15-0 en route to the state 6A championship.
Cameron Blankenship, 6’5″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Alexander City, AL via UAB. He was a three-year letterwinner for the Blazers and started all 11 games he appeared in as a sophomore at Dodge City CC in Kansas.
James Bynes, a 6’3″ 230-pound tight end from Miami, FL., by way of Dodge City CC. He caught 30 passes for 269 yards in all 11 games as a sophomore at Dodge City C.
Austin Chipoletti, 5’11” 190-pound quarterback from Jacksonville, FL. by way of UAB. Chipoletti completed 172-of-302 attempts for 1,650 yards and eight touchdowns with 142 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in 2013 for Weber State.
Cody Clements, 6’2″ 200-pound quarterback from Whittier, CA. via UAB. In his first and only season with the Blazers, Clements finished 4th in Conference USA in pass efficiency rating (145.6) as he wetn 183-of-275 for 2,227 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Tavon Cox, 6’3 195-pound linebacker from Kissimme, FL., Haines City HS. Cox was rated a three-star prospect by Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. He had 71 tackles and four sacks his senior season.
Lee Dufour, 6’4″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Saraland, AL. by way of UAB. Defour was going to redshirt his freshman season but played in the last three games of the season to help the Blazers earn bowl eligibility for the first time in 10 years.
Gerald Everett, 6’4″ 215-pound tight end from Decatur, GA. by way of UAB. He cause 17 passes for 292 yards in his only season with the Blazers. He started one game but saw action in all 12 games.
Sean Grayer, 6’2″ 240-pound defensive end/outside linebacker from Glay HS in Green Cove Springs, FL. He recorded 81 stops and fourced five fumbles in his senior season as he was selected to the first-team All-District and second-team All-State teams.
Kalen Jackson, 6’1″ 200-pound linebacker from Magee, MS. by way of UAB. Jackson started the first two games for the Blazers but suffered a season-ending injury. Against Troy he had five tackles and a fumble recovery.
Quinton Lane, 6’1″ 185-pound cornerback from Ackerman, MS. by way of Itawamba CC. He recorded 25 total tackles, 20 solo, with a team-high eight passes broken up as a sophomore.
Nigel Lawrence, 5’11” 175-pound defensive back from Smiths Stateion HS in Alabama. He was rated a three-star athlete by 247Sports.com and among the top 35 players in the state. He had 91 stops his senior year of school.
JarMarkus Sims, 6’1″ 210-pound safety from Dothan HS in Alabama. He was rated a three-star athlete by 247Sports and was rated as the second-best safety in the state of Alabama by ESPN.com. He was also selected First-Team All-State.
Troy Thingstad, 6’5″ 275-pound offensive lineman from St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile. He was rated a three-star athlete by Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. He was also named to the first-team All-State team as a senior after helping his team with the 5A state championship.
Jalen Thompson, a 6′ 170-pound cornerback from St. Paul’s Eposcopal School in Mobile. He was rated a three-star althlete by Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. He was also rated the second-best cornerback in the state of Alabama by Scout and ESPN.
Tyree Turner, 6′ 265-pound defensive lineman from StockBridge GA. HS. He was selected to the All-Region team twice, including last season after helping his team to the semifinals of the 5A state playoffs and to an 11-3 record overall.
D.J. Vinson, 5’10” 180-pound running back from Pinson, AL. by way of UAB. He finished second on the team with 670 yards and nine touchdowns on 166 attempts last season. He also added 65 yards on 15 catches and a touchdown as well.
Rashaan Watson, 5’10” 180-pound cornerback from Pinellas Park HS in Largo, FL. He was a first-team All-District, All-County and All-Conference selection in 2014 after helping his team go 8-3 and qualifying for the 7A state playoffs.
Jeffrey Whatley, 6’1″ 265-pound defensive end from Dale County HS in Midland City AL. He was selected to the first-team All-State team his final two seasons and helped his team to the 3A state championship game as a senior with 105 total stops along the way.
Curtis Williams, 6’4″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Miami, FL. by way of ASA CC in New York. He was a second-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection in 2013 as he helped his team to a 7th place finish in the final NJCAA rankings.
Tyrone Williams, 6’2″ 200-pound wide receiver from Kiln, MS via Mississippi Gulf Coast CC. He was a first-team All-MACJC selection as a sophomore after leading his team with 46 catches for 812 yards and 12 touchdowns.
De’Arius Young, 6’7″ 310-pound offensive lineman from Cincinnati, OH by way of San Bernadino Valley, CA. CC. He was named to the first-team All-Region and All-Mountain Conference as a sophomore as his team averaged 413 yards and 36.2 points per game.
Alex “Speedy” Byers, 6’2″ 175-pound wide receiver from Antelope Valley College in California. He had 23 catches for 398 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. He also returned 14 kicks for 496 yards and three touchdowns. He has three years to play two at USA.
Welcome to #JagNation!
Jaguar Softball opens season against Crimson Tide Thursday
#23 ranked South Alabama hosts #3 ranked Alabama on Thursday evening in their season opener and it will be in front of a sold-out crowd at Jaguar Field.
The Jaguars 2014 season ended with a 1-0 loss to the Crimson Tide that they hope to avenge to start the 2015 season.
Leading the Jaguars is a trio of Preseason All-Sun Belt team members.
Senior Farish Beard was one of two pitchers named to the All-SBC team after being a first-team All-SBC honoree in 2014 and finishing the year as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-South Region selection for the second season in a row. She also finished sixth in the NCAA in ERA with a 1.23 and helped the Jags finish atop the NCAA statistical category with a 1.29 ERA. She was also named to the Top 50 Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.
Stephanie Pilkington and Blair Johnson combined to take two of the three Preseason All-SBC spots in the outfield. Pilkington was an All-Conference first-teamer last season with the second highest batting average on the team with .292 while leading the team in hits, triples and sacrifice hits.
Johnson was a second-teamer last season and was second on the team in hits, sacrifice hits and sacrifice flies. This is her third Preseason All-SBC team honor.
Additionally the Jaguars were voted to finish second in the conference behind Louisiana-Lafayette. The Cajuns had 79 total points and 7 first place votes while the Jaguars finished with 74 total points and two first place votes. No other school received first place votes.