Mark West: Baseball Red Wolves Look To Continue Winning Ways

Arkansas State Red Wolves head down to Georgia to take on the potent Georgia State Panthers lineup. The baseball Red Wolves look to continue with consistent pitching and clutch hitting that has led to five straight conference wins.

A-State is still all alone in second place in the Sun Belt with a 13-5 record and a 24-17 mark overall with an RPI of 45. The Red Wolves are facing a Georgia State teams that has lost five straight conference games but is eyeballing a shot at getting into the conference tournament sitting just outside at 5-13 in the conference and 19-23 overall.

The Panthers are led by three big hitters in Nic Wilson with 12 homers, Chase Raffield with 10 homers and Matt Rose with eight homers. A-State’s leading home run hitter is Austin Baker with six on the year.

This series matches a power offense from Georgia State with the on base, run-manufacturing offense at A-State. The Panthers have struggled with their pitching this season and pitching seems to be an edge for Arkansas State.

Friday night’s pitching matchup features a battle between sophomores as A-State’s David Owen (5-2, 3.96 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, .251 OBA) faces Georgia State’s junior Kenny Anderson (3-3, 5.94 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, .320 OBA). Owen comes off another quality start as the Friday night guy against ULM while Anderson lasted five innings last Friday against Texas State.

Saturday Red Wolves’ senior Bradley Wallace (3-3, 3.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, .275 OBA) is seeing his first Saturday start against Georgia State’s sophomore Nathan Bates (1-2, 5.21 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .285 OBA). Wallace has had a quality start in three of his last four outings and Bates has been the Panthers’ most effective starter since Sun Belt play began

On Sunday A-State’s sends ole TBA to the bump against Georgia State’s junior Aidan McLaughlin (1-1, 5.14 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, .270 OBA). McLaughlin is transitioning from the pen for his first start of the season.

Georgia State is looking to exert it power at home against the Red Wolves pitching staff while A-State looks to win its’ third road conference series on the season.

Arkansas State has the reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week in Matt Burgess who continues to lead the Red Wolves in average at .323 and with 42 RBI. Eric Wilcoxson has provided quite a punch since moving into the starting lineup with a .577 slugging percentage and .526 on base percentage while hitting .346 with six doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI.

A-State hopes the bullpen can turn around what has been a rough week and get back to shutting down opponents.

A-State defeated Murray State 27-7 earlier this season on the road and now will host them in a midweek matchup to close the season series. Baker hit four home runs the last time these teams squared off.

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You can read more of Mark West at College Baseball Central where he covers Arkansas State, the Sun Belt Conference and the Big 12 Conference at http://collegebaseballcentral.com/author/markwest/