UALR
COACH Chris Curry (42-61 in two seasons at UALR and overall)
2016 RECORD 26-28, 17-13 Sun Belt
2017 SEASON OPENER at Oral Roberts, 3 p.m. today
PROJECTION Third, Sun Belt West
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS C/OF Dalton Thomas
TOP NEWCOMERS OF Bryce Dimitroff, LHP Chandler Fidel
SCOUTING REPORT UALR achieved its overall goal last season by reaching the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, but the way in which the Trojans ended the season irks Coach Chris Curry. The Trojans were swept out of the tournament in losses to Georgia Southern and South Alabama, which came after it lost the season’s final two games against Arkansas State. When UALR plays today, Curry says his team is trying to snap a fourgame losing streak. He hopes a lineup that lost All-American Ryan Scott, who led Division I with a .435 batting average, doesn’t miss a beat. Dalton Thomas, who benefited from hitting behind Scott, was named preseason Sun Belt player of the year after he hit .375 with 9 home runs and 52 RBI last year. Curry is hoping Thomas’ presence will help Nik Gifford, who hit .295 with 7 home runs and drove in 40. The Trojans return six others who had at least 130 at bats in a lineup that hit a Sun Belt best .302 and scored 365 runs, second most in the league. UALR’s top two starters are returners, too, in Matt McDowell (4-3, 4.74 ERA) and Cory Malcom (5-4, 5.43 ERA). Chandler Fidel, a freshman left-hander from Garland, Texas, will get the third start this weekend. Curry hopes his bullpen can develop over the course of the season, which was a weakness last season.
QUOTING CHRIS CURRY “You can’t replace Ryan Scott, arguably the best hitter to come through here, statistically. I’m hoping that our depth is what catches up … and maybe one-through-nine, we’re a better group.”
Arkansas State
COACH Tommy Raffo (230-229-1 in eight seasons at Arkansas State and overall) 2016 RECORD 29-29, 13-17 Sun Belt
2017 SEASON OPENER vs. New York Institute of Technology, 4 p.m. today
PROJECTION Fifth, Sun Belt West
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS None
TOP NEWCOMERS LHP Collin Cahill, RHP Tyler Mitzel
SCOUTING REPORT Arkansas State didn’t get any favors from schedule-makers in a new-look Sun Belt Conference. Coastal Carolina plays its first season in the league coming after winning the national championship last season. The Chanticleers were picked to win the Sun Belt East Division and are ranked ninth in the coaches poll to start the season. Louisiana-Lafayette, picked to win the West, is ranked 16th. The Red Wolves have to play at both schools. But Coach Tommy Raffo said the national prestige of league teams can only help elevate others in the Sun Belt. Raffo hopes a lineup with a handful of returnees and a rotation with some newcomers, like Tyler Mitzel, who is a transfer from Neosho (Kan.) Community College, can help improve on a fifth-place pick by league coaches. The Red Wolves return Joe Schrimpf, who hit .299 with 6 home runs and 43 RBI last year; Garrett Rucker, who hit .295 with 31 RBI; and Jeremy Brown, who hit .294 with 40 RBI. Right-hander Bryan Ayers, who will start today’s opener, went 3-3 with a 5.05 ERA in 10 starts. Other weekend starters could be newcomers Mitzel and left-hander Collin Cahill, a freshman from Conway. Tyler Zuber, who had a 6.59 ERA in a team-high 692/3 innings last year, could bounce between the rotation and the bullpen, Raffo said.
QUOTING TOMMY RAFFO “I think we acknowledge that the league is going to change. One-through-12, every weekend is going to be an absolute war in the league. It’s very even, very spread out, very good players.”
Central Arkansas
COACH Allen Gum (181-154 in six seasons at Central Arkansas, 407-222 in 11 seasons overall)
2016 RECORD 29-27, 16-14 Southland 2017 SEASON OPENER vs. Evansville, 3 p.m. today
PROJECTION Fifth (coaches poll), sixth (SID poll)
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS RHP Cody Davenport (second team)
TOP NEWCOMERS OF Keaton Presley, INF Josh Somdecerff
SCOUTING REPORT Plenty of new faces mark Allen Gum’s seventh Central Arkansas baseball team. Gone are Connor Gilmore, a mainstay in the Bears rotation for four years, as are outfielder Tyler Langley and infielders Matt Anderson and Chris Townsend. But expectations are high for sophomore right-hander Cody Davenport, who will start in today’s season opener. Davenport, a Fayetteville native, went 6-2 with a 3.21 ERA in a team-high 16 starts. Gum is also excited for the continued progress of Mark Moyer, who made one start last year before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Despite the new faces in the lineup, Gum still likes his bats. Hunter Strong hit .270 with 22 RBI while playing first base last year, while Brooks Balisterri hit .263 with 16 RBI while playing shortstop. Balisterri is one of UCA’s three seniors, after having 10 last year, and Gum said all will be asked to contribute. Righthanders Brandon Hagerla, who missed last year with an injury, and Jacob Murray, who made 17 relief appearances last year, are the other two. Keaton Presley, a transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, will start in center field, and Josh Somdecerff, from Connors State College, at second base.
QUOTING ALLEN GUM “On the mound, that’s where our strength is. Any time I look to the season, if we feel like our strength is on the mound, there’s a reason to be optimistic for sure.”
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
COACH Carlos James (108-173-1 in six seasons at UAPB, 136-251-2 in nine seasons overall)
2016 RECORD 22-25, 16-5 SWAC
2017 SEASON OPENER at Louisiana Tech, 6 p.m. today
PROJECTION First, SWAC West
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS OF Jacqueese Moore (second-team), DH Julian Jones (second team)
TOP NEWCOMERS INF/RHP Sergio Esparza, INF Juan Pablo Soriano, RHP Nathan Sawrie
SCOUTING REPORT Arkansas-Pine Bluff enters Carlos James’ seventh season as coach with a different role, as the preseason favorite to win the SWAC Western Division. The Golden Lions won the division last year but exited after two losses in the SWAC Tournament, a disappointing end that James said has provided fuel early in the season. The Golden Lions return six position players from a year ago, including Jacqueese Moore, who hit.347 with a team-best 33 RBI last year, and Julian Jones, who hit .340 with a.585 slugging percentage last year. But James also boasted about the abilities of newcomer Juan Pablo Soriano, a first baseman originally from Puerto Rico who transferred from Seminole (Okla.) State College; and Sergio Esparaza, a transfer from El Paso (Texas) Community College who will work out of the bullpen to start. James is also excited about the return of shortstop Jaylen Jackson, who hit .278 last year as a freshman, and Austin Greer, a senior who can play any of the three outfield spots. Righthander Nathan Sawrie, a junior from Hot Springs who started his career at Arkansas Baptist College, will start in today’s opener. Right-hander Caleb Lewington is the only returning pitcher with much experience. He went 2-5 with a 3.73 ERA in 60 1/3 innings last year.
QUOTING CARLOS JAMES “We’re deserving of [being picked to win the division] as a program. But, you have to remind the guys, it’s not about them, it’s about the guys before.”
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Feb. 17 at Oral Roberts 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at Oral Roberts 2 p.m. Feb. 19 at Oral Roberts 1 p.m. Feb. 21 at Louisiana Tech 6 p.m. Feb. 24 Purdue 3 p.m. Feb. 25 Purdue 2 p.m. Feb. 26 Purdue 1 p.m. Feb. 28 at Oklahoma 3 p.m. March 3 IUPU-Fort Wayne 3 p.m. March 4 IUPU-Fort Wayne (DH) noon March 5 IUPU-Fort Wayne 1 p.m. March 7 Oral Roberts 6 p.m. March 10 at Stephen F. Austin 6:30 p.m. March 11 at Stephen F. Austin 2 p.m. March 12 at Stephen F. Austin 1 p.m. March 14 at Central Arkansas 6 p.m. March17 Troy 6 p.m. March 18 Troy 2 p.m. March 19 Troy 1 p.m. March 21 at Missouri 6 p.m. March 24 at La.-Monroe 6 p.m. March 25 at La.-Monroe 2 p.m. March 26 at La.-Monroe 1 p.m. March 28 at Mississippi 11 a.m. March 31 Appalachian State 6 p.m. April 1 Appalachian State 2 p.m. April 2 Appalachian State 1 p.m. April 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6 p.m. April 7 Texas State 6 p.m. April 8 Texas State 2 p.m. April 9 Texas State noon April 11 Stephen F. Austin 6 p.m. April 13 at Texas-Arlington 6:30 p.m. April 14 at Texas-Arlington 6:30 p.m. April 15 at Texas-Arlington 1 p.m. April 19 Louisiana Tech 6 p.m. April 21 La.-Lafayette 6 p.m. April 22 La.-Lafayette 6 p.m. April 23 La.-Lafayette 1 p.m. April 25 Central Arkansas^ 6 p.m. April 28 at Ga. Southern 5:30 p.m. April 29 at Ga. Southern 5:30 p.m. April 30 at Ga. Southern noon May 5 at South Alabama 6:30 p.m. May 6 at South Alabama 6:30 p.m. May 7 at South Alabama 1 p.m. May 9 Northwestern State 6 p.m. May 12 Georgia State 6 p.m. May 13 Georgia State 2 p.m. May 14 Georgia State noon May 16 Central Arkansas 6 p.m. May 18 at Arkansas State 6:30 p.m. May 19 at Arkansas State 6:30 p.m. May 20 at Arkansas State* 1 p.m. May 23-28 Sun Belt Tournament#
*Sun Belt game
^at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock
at Statesboro, Ga.
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Feb. 17 NYIT 4 p.m. Feb. 18 NYIT 1 p.m. Feb. 19 NYIT (DH) 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at Mississippi 4 p.m. Feb. 22 Miss. Valley State 4 p.m. Feb. 24 at NW (La.) State 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at NW (La.) State 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at NW (La.) State 1 p.m. Feb. 28 Missouri State 4 p.m. March 1 Missouri State 3 p.m. March 3 Cincinnati 6 p.m. March 4 Cincinnati 2 p.m. March 5 Cincinnati 1 p.m. March 7 SE Missouri State 6 p.m. March 10 Louisiana Tech 6 p.m. March 11 Louisiana Tech 6 p.m. March 12 Louisiana Tech 1 p.m. March 14 Southern Illinois 6 p.m. March 17 La.-Monroe 6:30 p.m. March 18 La.-Monroe 6:30 p.m. March 19 La.-Monroe 1 p.m. March 21 at Austin Peay 6 p.m. March 22 at Austin Peay 3 p.m. March 24 at Coastal Carolina 5 p.m. March 25 at Coastal Carolina 1 p.m. March 26 at Coastal Carolina noon March 28 at Southern Illinois 5 p.m. March 31 at Texas State 6 p.m. April 1 at Texas State 3 p.m. April 2 at Texas State 1 p.m. April 4 at SE Missouri State 6 p.m. April 1 Georgia State 6:30 p.m. April 8 Georgia State 6:30 p.m. April 9 Georgia State 1 p.m. April 11 at Memphis 6 p.m. April 13 at La.-Lafayette 6 p.m. April 14 at La.-Lafayette 6 p.m. April 15 at La.-Lafayette 1 p.m. April 21 South Alabama 6:30 p.m. April 22 South Alabama 6:30 p.m. April 23 South Alabama 1 p.m. April 25 Memphis 6:30 p.m. April 28 at Appalachian State 5 p.m. April 29 at Appalachian State 1 p.m. April 30 At Appalachian State noon May 5 at Texas-Arlington 6:30 p.m. May 6 at Texas-Arlington 6:30 p.m. May 7 at Texas-Arlington 1 p.m. May 12 at Ga. Southern 5:30 p.m. May 13 at Ga. Southern 5:30 p.m. May 14 at Ga. Southern noon May 16 Mississippi 6:30 p.m. May 18 UALR 6:30 p.m. May 19 UALR 6:30 p.m. May 20 UALR 1 p.m. May 23-28 Sun Belt Tournament#
*Sun Belt game
at Statesboro, Ga.
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Feb. 17 Evansville 3 p.m. Feb. 18 Evansville 5 p.m. Feb. 19 Evansville 1 p.m. Feb. 21 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 p.m. Feb. 24 Eastern Illinois 6 p.m. Feb. 25 Eastern Illinois (DH) 11 a.m. Feb. 26 Eastern Illinois 1 p.m. Feb. 28 at Tennessee Tech 6 p.m. March 1 at Tennessee Tech 3 p.m. March 3 at Missouri State 3:05 p.m. March 4 at Missouri State 2:05 p.m. March 5 at Missouri State 1:05 p.m. March 7 at Vanderbilt 4 p.m. March 8 at Vanderbilt 4 p.m. March 10 McNeese State 6 p.m. March 11 McNeese State 4 p.m. March 12 McNeese State 1 p.m. March 14 UALR 6 p.m. March 17 at Incarnate Word 6:30 p.m. March 18 at Incarnate Word 3 p.m. March 19 at Incarnate Word 1 p.m. March 21 SE Missouri State 6 p.m. March 22 Miss. Valley State 6 p.m. March 24 New Orleans 6 p.m. March 25 New Orleans 4 p.m. March 26 New Orleans 1 p.m. March 28 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6 p.m. March 31 at NW (La.) State 6:30 p.m. April 1 at NW (La.) State 2 p.m. April 2 at NW (La.) State 1 p.m. April 7 at Houston Baptist 2 p.m. April 8 at Houston Baptist 1 p.m. April 9 at Houston Baptist 2 p.m. April 11 at Oklahoma State TBA April 13 Dallas Baptist 6 p.m. April 14 Dallas Baptist 6 p.m. April 15 Dallas Baptist 1 p.m. April 21 Sam Houston State 6 p.m. April 22 Sam Houston State 4 p.m. April 23 Sam Houston State 1 p.m. April 25 at UALR 6 p.m. April 28 at Texas A&M-CC 6 p.m. April 29 at Texas A&M-CC 4 p.m. April 30 at Texas A&M-CC 11 a.m. May 5 Abilene Christian 6 p.m. May 6 Abilene Christian 6 p.m. May 7 Abilene Christian 1 p.m. May 12 at SE Louisiana 6 p.m. May 13 at SE Louisiana 2 p.m. May 14 at SE Louisiana 1 p.m. May 16 UALR^ 6 p.m. May 18 Nicholls State 6 p.m. May 19 Nicholls State 6 p.m. May 20 Nicholls State 1 p.m. May 24-27 Southland Tournament#
*Southland game
^at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock
at Constellation Field, Sugar Land, Texas
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Feb. 17 at Louisiana Tech 6 p.m. Feb. 18 at Louisiana Tech 2 p.m. Feb. 19 at Louisiana Tech 1 p.m. Feb. 21 Central Arkansas 1 p.m. Feb. 24 at Tennessee-Martin 2 p.m. Feb. 25 at Tennessee-Martin 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at Tennessee-Martin 2 p.m. Feb. 28 at Baylor 4 p.m. March 3 at Grambling State 6 p.m. March 4 at Grambling State 3 p.m. March 5 at Grambling State 1 p.m. March 9 at Alabama 6 p.m. March 10 at Alabama 6 p.m. March 11 at Alabama 2 p.m. March 12 at Alabama 2 p.m. March 15 at Mississippi St. 6:30 p.m. March 17 Texas Southern 3 p.m. March 18 Texas Southern 2 p.m. March 19 Texas Southern 1 p.m. March 22 at S.F. Austin 6:30 p.m. March 24 at Prairie View A&M 3 p.m. March 25 at Prairie View A&M 2 p.m. March 26 at Prairie View A&M 1 p.m. March 28 at Central Arkansas 6 p.m. March 31 Southern 3 p.m. April 1 Southern 2 p.m. April 2 Southern 1 p.m. April 4 at UALR 6 p.m. April 7 Grambling State 3 p.m. April 8 Grambling State 2 p.m. April 9 Grambling State 1 p.m. April 11 at Missouri 6:30 p.m. April 12 at Missouri 4 p.m. April 14 at Alabama A&M 3 p.m. April 15 at Alabama A&M 3 p.m. April 16 at Alabama A&M 1 p.m. April 19 at Mississippi 6:30 p.m. April 21 at Texas Southern 3 p.m. April 22 at Texas Southern 2 p.m. April 23 at Texas Southern 1 p.m. April 25 at Oklahoma State 6 p.m. April 28 Prairie View A&M 3 p.m. April 29 Prairie View A&M 2 p.m. April 30 Prairie View A&M 1 p.m. May 2 Alcorn State TBA May 5 at Southern 6 p.m. May 6 at Southern 2 p.m. May 7 at Southern 1 p.m. May 10 at Alcorn State 6 p.m. May 17-21 SWAC Tournament#
*SWAC game
at New Orleans