NEW YORK – Former University of South Alabama baseball standout and current St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese was presented with the Babe Ruth Award, given to the most valuable player of the Major League Baseball postseason, Saturday by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA).

The award is given out annually by the New York chapter of the BBWAA. In 18 playoff games this season, Freese batted .397 with five home runs and 21 RBI.

He set two postseason records in RBI and total bases (50) while helping the Cardinals capture the 2011 World Series, in which he hit .348 with a homer and seven RBI en route MVP honors. He tied postseason records for hits (25) and doubles (8). Freese was also named the MVP of the National League Championship Series, making him just the sixth player in MLB history to be named MVP of a League Championship Series and World Series and the first Jaguar to earn postseason MVP honors.

Freese was a two-year letterwinner at South Alabama (2005-06), and was named the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year while receiving All-American and all-SBC honors. He helped lead South Alabama to two consecutive NCAA Regional appearances in 2005-06. The Wildwood, Mo., native recorded 99 hits and 73 RBI as a senior in 2006, which rank second and third, respectively, on the Jaguar single-season records list.

Freese will be one of six current and former Jaguar Major Leaguers who will be in attendance at the South Alabama Baseball First Pitch Banquet, scheduled for Tue., Feb. 7, from 5:30-8 p.m. at Battleship Pavillion. Tickets are still available and reservations can be made by contacting the USA Athletic Development Office at (251) 461-1366 or by contacting Beth Schiavoni at bschiavoni@usouthal.edu. Reservations must be made by Jan. 31.

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).