An eight-game losing streak isn’t the way a team wants to go into conference play, but Southern baseball coach Chris Crenshaw isn’t concerned.
The Jaguars (4-10) collected 15 hits and were outscored 29-11 in a three-game sweep this weekend at Incarnate Word with the Southwestern Athletic Conference opening series at Grambling on the horizon Friday.
Southern has an experienced lineup that has been missing some key pieces while the pitching has shown some flashes. The Jaguars have all week to work out the kinks, Crenshaw said.
“We’ve got this week off, no midweek games, to figure it out,” the third-year Southern coach said. “I’ll do my best to make sure we get everything corrected we can.”
The Jaguars lost late leads in a 10-9 loss to UNO last Wednesday and did the same thing in the opener against Incarnate Word. Southern had a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth but allowed three runs in a 6-5 loss. They lost the next two 11-4 and 12-2.
“Close but not close enough,” Crenshaw said. “The hitting is always going to come and go. I want better at bats when it counts. When we’ve got runners on second and third with one out, I expect to get a run out of it. I want to be more productive in situations we need to be productive in. Just put the ball in play. They still have to catch it, throw it and another dude has to catch it.”
The Jaguars have had some regulars like Justin Wiley and JJ Rollon missing from the lineup, and All-SWAC first baseman O’Neill Burgos has been in a season-long slump batting .178 after going 1 for 11 in San Antonio.
“Burgos had some good at bats,” Crenshaw said. “Even though one resulted in a strikeout it was an eight- or nine-pitch at bat. He hit a ball hard into the wind and didn’t have anything to show for it. That’s a start. He’ll get a barrel on it.”
Jaylen Armstrong continues to lead Southern with a .408 average. He had three hits and stole six bases over the weekend. Khyle Radcliffe (.318) also had three hits while Nathaniel Lai and Gustavo Nava Sanchez hit home runs.
Rollon, the team’s second-leading hitter last year, should return this weekend. Shortstop Justin Wiley returned from a bruised wrist Saturday and outfielder Mike Latulas also returned.
Southern got a good start from Friday starter Jalon Long, who allowed two runs in five innings and struck out seven. Closer Enrique Ozoa gave up the three deciding runs in the ninth, one of which was unearned.
Crenshaw expressed confidence in Long in his new role as Friday starter.
“Jalon Long has got the stuff,” Crenshaw said. “We’re working on him making his way through the game. He does a good job of throwing strikes and getting ahead. We’ve got to put hitters away when we get the opportunity and when it gets tough, we’ve got to bend and not break.
“It’s all a growth process. He’s in a situation where he didn’t get used like that. He’s pitching on Friday night so he’s facing a team’s No. 1 starter. There’s a big difference pitching on Sunday than on Friday.”
Crenshaw said he’s thinking of moving midweek starter Antoine Harris into the weekend rotation after his last two outings.
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