MOBILE, Ala. — No. 13 South Alabama softball, which leads the nation in team earned run average, puts a six-game winning streak on the line this weekend when it hosts UT Arlington for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Jaguar Field.
Softball Hosts UT Arlington
The Jaguars are 22-3 after a 3-0 week that included Hannah Campbell’s second career perfect game, a 9-0 run-rule win over New Mexico State and a 5-1 win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla.
South Alabama’s pitching staff leads the nation with a 0.95 ERA. Farish Beard leads the NCAA with a 0.38 ERA, and Campbell has a 0.76 ERA.
The Jaguars are 6-0 at home this season. Last season they went 17-3 at home, including 8-3 in conference play, earned the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt tournament and won the 2013 Sun Belt tournament title, their second straight.
This weekend’s series is the first meeting between the programs. UT Arlington, in its first season in the Sun Belt, is 14-15 overall, 1-3 on the road and batting .283 as a team.
The teams play at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and close the series at noon Sunday.
Baseball Visits UALR
The South Alabama baseball team (10-9, 1-1 Sun Belt) opens a three-game series at Arkansas-Little Rock on Friday after a 9-0 loss to No. 6 LSU on Wednesday.
UALR is also 10-9 and is 0-3 in conference play after being swept by Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark., last weekend. The Trojans have lost six of their last eight games but beat No. 30 Oklahoma 11-2 on Wednesday in Norman, Okla.
Pitching Matchups
- Friday, 6 p.m.: South Alabama’s Kevin Hill, making his fourth start of the season, against UALR left-hander Travis McDonald (2-1, 1.95 ERA)
- Saturday, 4 p.m.: Locke St. John (2-0), making his sixth start
- Sunday, 1 p.m.: South Alabama starter to be announced
The Jaguars are batting .235 as a team. All three games will be broadcast on 105.5 WNSP and WNSP.com, and video streams are available for purchase through UALR.
Track and Field at Alabama Relays
South Alabama’s men’s and women’s track and field teams are in Tuscaloosa for the Alabama Relays, which began Thursday. Friday’s events start at 2 p.m. with the women’s javelin, and running events begin at 5 p.m. Saturday’s competition opens at noon with the women’s discus.
The Jaguars won the Battle of I-65 last weekend against Samford and Alabama State after two straight home meets.
