UALR at Texas State
WHEN 3 p.m. Central today (DH), 3 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Bobcat Ballpark, San Marcos, Texas
RECORDS UALR 15-17 overall, 8-7 Sun Belt; Texas State 21-13, 9-3
COACHES Chris Curry (31-50 in second season at UALR and overall); Ty Harrington (552-423-1 in 17th season at Texas State and overall)
THIS WEEK Lost, 6-1, Tuesday at Central Arkansas
INTERNET ualrtrojans.com
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
TODAY GAME ONE
UALR: Matt McDowell (RHP, 1-1, 4.60 ERA); TSU: Lucas Humpal (RHP 5-2, 2.30)
TODAY GAME TWO
UALR: TBD; TSU: Jeremy Hallonquist (RHP, 3-2, 2.87)
SATURDAY
UALR: Cory Malcom (RHP, 2-3, 7.12); TSU: Cory Geisler (LHP, 3-0, 1.47)
RUNDOWN UALR’s season-long nemesis — erratic pitching — cost it a victory at Central Arkansas on Wednesday. UALR walked 15 batters in the game and its 170 walks this season are the most in the Sun Belt Conference. Still, UALR enters the weekend fourth in the Sun Belt standings, one victory away from tying last year’s overall victory total and a series victory would be its fourth this season. Texas State has swept Louisiana-Monroe, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern in Sun Belt play. Catcher Tanner Hill leads the Sun Belt and is seventh nationally with 12 home runs.
Arkansas State vs. Troy
WHEN 6 p.m. today, 6 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday
WHERE Tomlinson Stadium, Jonesboro RECORDS Arkansas State 13-19, 4-11 Sun Belt; Troy 20-14, 6-6
COACHES Tommy Raffo (214-219-1 in eighth season at ASU and overall); Mark Smartt (20-14 in first season at Troy, 185-177 in seventh season overall)
THIS WEEK Lost, 13-8, to Southeast Missouri on Tuesday
INTERNET astateredwolves.com
RADIO KNEA-FM, 95.3, in Jonesboro
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
TODAY
ASU: Tyler Zuber (RHP, 3-3, 6.25 ERA); Troy: Grant Bennett (RHP, 4-2, 2.15)
SATURDAY
ASU: Adam Grantham (RHP, 1-2, 4.70); Troy: Houston Mabray (RHP, 3-0, 1.98)
SUNDAY
ASU: Coulton Lee (LHP, 3-3, 3.54); Troy: Lucas Brown (RHP, 4-3, 3.19)
THE RUNDOWN Arkansas State has lost seven in a row and is still looking for its first Sun Belt Conference series victory of the season. ASU ranks in the bottom half of the Sun Belt in batting average, runs scored, ERA, earned runs allowed and fielding percentage. Troy is coming off a sweep of Appalachian State and its 3.34 team ERA is the second best in the conference.
Central Arkansas at Nicholls State
WHEN 6 p.m. Central today, 6 p.m. Central Saturday, 1 p.m. Central Sunday
WHERE Ray Didier Field, Thibodaux, La. RECORDS Central Arkansas 13-17, 5-7 Southland; Nicholls State 14-20, 5-10 COACHES Allen Gum (165-144 in sixth season at UCA, 391-212 in 11th season overall); Seth Thibodeaux (160-151-1 in sixth season at Nicholls State and overall)
THIS WEEK Beat UALR, 6-1, on Wednesday
INTERNET ucasports.com
RADIO KUCA-FM, 91.3, in Conway
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
TODAY
UCA: Connor Gilmore (RHP, 2-5, 3.83 ERA); NSU: Justin Sinibaldi (RHP, 3-3, 2.64)
SATURDAY
UCA: Cody Davenport (RHP, 2-2, 3.62); NSU: Cole Stapler (RHP, 2-5, 4.41)
SUNDAY
UCA: Riley Echols (RHP, 1-1, 4.39); NSU: Jake Smith (RHP, 1-2, 7.58)
THE RUNDOWN Two of the Southland’s top starting pitchers will square off in tonight’s series opener. Connor Gilmore is UCA’s all-time wins leader and Sinabaldi has thrown a league-high three complete games, including in a victory over Incarnate Word last week. The Bears were swept in last week’s series at nationally ranked Oregon State, but Coach Allen Gum said he’s seen an improved offensive approach. UCA drew 15 walks in a Wednesday victory over UALR, which helps makes up for a .240 team average and .315 slugging percentage, both of which are 12th in the Southland.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Texas Southern
WHEN 3 p.m. today, 2 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday
WHERE Torii Hunter Baseball Complex, Pine Bluff
RECORDS UAPB 11-19, 8-4 SWAC; Texas Southern 15-15, 9-6
COACHES Carlos James (97-167-1 in sixth season at UAPB, 125-245-2 in ninth season overall); Michael Robertson (196-204 in eighth season at Texas Southern, 345-379 in 14th season overall)
THIS WEEK None
INTERNET uapblionsroar.com
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
TODAY
UAPB: Blake Estep (RHP, 1-3, 5.03 ERA); TSU: Larry Romero (6-1, 3.70)
SATURDAY
UAPB: Humberto Medina (RHP, 3-3, 6.04); TSU: Seth Oliver (2-4, 6.29)
SUNDAY
UAPB: C.J. Lewington (RHP, 2-4, 3.38); TSU: Ryan Rios (4-2, 7.52)
THE RUNDOWN The defending SWAC West champion (UAPB) and the team picked to win the division this year (Texas Southern) are meeting this weekend for the second time this season. Texas Southern took two of three in the first series last month in Houston, but UAPB is 10-6 since then, including a threegame sweep of Alabama A&M last week. Those games didn’t count on UAPB’s conference record, so it trails Grambling State by 1½ games in the division standings with four series remaining.