Jaguars to open SBC play at UALR

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - University of South Alabama baseball opens Sun Belt Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at UALR, beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock, Ark.

The Jaguars are 50-9 all-time against UALR. This weekend's series marks the first time USA has opened SBC play against the Trojans. South Alabama took two of three games against UALR last season at Stanky Field.

The Jags have won three of their last five games, and have scored 47 runs on 57 hits during that stretch. USA is averaging 11.4 runs per game over its last five, while holding opponents to six runs per game.

USA leads the SBC in runs scored (123), hits (167), RBI (110), doubles (38), at-bats (515) and total plate appearances (615). The Jags are tied for first in sacrifice flies (11), and rank second in batting average (.324), total bases (234), walks (67) and stolen bases (33).

South Alabama pitchers lead the conference in innings pitched (132), and rank second in strikeouts (105). Defensively, USA leads the SBC in putouts (396) and assists (177), and is tied for first in double plays (18).

Senior second baseman Zach Grichor leads the league in runs scored (24) and total plate appearances (74), and is tied for the league lead in hits (23), walks (12) and at-bats (57). He leads the Jags in batting average (.404), hits, runs scored, walks and on-base percentage (.514), and is tied with Taylor White and Adam Heisler for the team-lead in stolen bases with eigh! t.

Grichor carries an 11-game hitting streak into the conference opener, and is hitting .477 with six doubles, nine RBI, 19 runs scored, eight walks and seven stolen bases during that span. The Spring, Texas, native scored a career-high five runs in the Jags' loss to Tennessee Tech Wednesday.

Junior third baseman Jake Overstreet leads the SBC in RBI (23) and sacrifice flies (4), and has hit .488 over his last 11 games with four doubles, 19 RBI, nine runs scored and two stolen bases. The Thomasville, Ala., native has increased his batting average .261 points during that stretch. Overstreet tied career highs in RBI (6) and hits (4) Wednesday against Tennessee Tech.

USA righthander D.D. Hanks (3-0) leads the conference in innings pitched (21.0), is tied for first in wins and ranks ninth in earned run average (2.14). Hanks is scheduled to start Friday night's conference opener, and will look to duplicate his last outing - a complete game win over Tulane in which he finished with six consecutive scoreless innings.

UALR (10-3) lefthander Adam Champion (2-0) is scheduled to start Friday for the Trojans. Champion leads the SBC in strikeouts (23), and ranks seventh in ERA (1.89). Opponents are hitting .203 against him this season.

The UALR pitching staff ranks second in innings pitched (117) and opposing batting average (.264), and leads the conference in saves (5).

The Trojans rank seventh in the conference in hitting (.300), but are second in runs scored (111) and total plate appearances (542), and third in on-base percentage (.424) and RBI (90). UALR leads the league in walks (73), but also leads the SBC in strikeouts (93).

Jason Houston leads UALR in batting average (.431), hits (22), runs (22), home runs (3), total bases (36), slugging percentage (.706) and stolen bases (6). Houston is tied for the team-lead in RBI (13) and on-base percentage (.500).

Saturday's contest is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., and the series will conclude Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on WNSP 105.5 FM in Mobile, and can be accessed nationwide at www.wnsp.com . Live stats for all three games can be accessed by clicking here .

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com . Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).