Andalusia High School graduate and University of South Alabama’s Ethan Wilson set the Jaguars record for home runs by a freshman on Tuesday night against Alabama State in Montgomery.

“It feels good,” Wilson said after hitting his record-setting 12th home run. “It’s humbling and I’m grateful. I’m not really the kind of guy that prides on what I’ve accomplished. It’s more about what the team has accomplished, but it is a good feeling to do something that has never been done before here.”

After going through some early season slumps, the Jaguars have won five-straight games.

“The team has been good this year,” Wilson said. “We struggled a little early on, but the biggest thing was that we never lost our team chemistry. There is a lot of the season left. We have a chance to make a run and be a force to reckon with in the conference tournament.”

Wilson said he is focused on what he can do to help his team succeed.

“I’m working on my pitch selection,” Wilson said. “At times, I’ve gotten in slumps and I’ve tried to hit my way out it. When I’m standing on deck, I’m trying to visualize what pitch I will see and what in what count I will see it. That’s been the biggest adjustment from high school baseball. In high school, there was maybe one time a year where I would face a pitcher with a good fastball and a good curveball. Most of the time it was a guy who just had fastball and no off speed stuff so I could just sit on fastball. At the D1 level, every guy they throw out there has a good fastball and good off speed pitches.”

Wilson said he has been enjoying the life as a freshman baseball player.

“It’s been going great,” Wilson said. “I love it down here in Mobile. We have finals next week and then that will be it for the school year. After that, I can just focus on baseball for a few weeks.”

Getting to know his teammates has been something that Wilson said he has enjoyed the most.

“Just building relationships with my teammates,” Wilson said about what he has enjoyed the most. “These are friendships that will last a lifetime. We all get along great. They are all down to Earth. It was also cool getting to play at Mississippi State and playing against Alabama at home. Playing those bigger schools during the week has been cool.”

While he may not play for Andalusia anymore, Wilson said he still backs the Bulldogs.

“Good luck to the Dogs this week against Sipsey Valley,” Wilson said. “I want to wish those guys good luck and hope they can bring home the dub.”

Wilson currently leads the Jaguars with 12 home runs, 40 RBIs, 52 hits, 43 runs scored, a .443 on-base percentage, a .329 batting average and five stolen bases.

Wilson’s 12 home runs leads the Sun Belt Conference and is tied for 26th most this year in the NCAA.

South Alabama is currently 21-20 with 14 games remaining before the start of the Sun Belt conference tournament begins on May 20 in Conway, S.C.

The Jaguars will be back in action on Friday with a three-game road series against Georgia Southern.

The next home series will be held beginning on May 3 against the Little Rock Trojans.

Home games may be streamed online from JagNation TV.