Courtesy University of Arkansas at Little Rock Athletics Department
The UAFS Diamond Lions will look to snap a season-long, four-game losing streak this weekend against Heartland Conference foe Texas A&M International Dustdevils at Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, Texas.
First pitch in the series-opening doubleheader will be at 12 p.m. on Friday with the series finale set for 1 p.m. on Saturday. Live statistics and webcast will be available by visiting the UAFS athletics website.
UAFS (16-13, 14-10) is coming off a conference series sweep at the hands of conference leader and No. 5-ranked St. Mary’s University this past weekend at Crowder Field.
The Rattlers, who are ranked No. 1 in the South Central Region, beat the Diamond Lions 9-3, 6-1 and 2-1 to give UAFS just its third conference series loss of the season. It was the first time UAFS has been swept in a conference series this spring.
It will be the second encounter of the season between UAFS and Texas A&M International. UAFS won the first series 2-1 at Crowder Field, losing the opener 13-3 and winning the final two games 1-0 and 14-4.
UAFS, which is fourth in the conference, is batting .239 as a team with four starters batting 0.250 or better – senior third baseman Adam Baker (0.299), senior designated hitter Christian Allen (0.288), senior catcher Ben Smith (0.280) and senior outfielder Dax Dupire (0.265).
The Diamond Lions pitching staff has compiled a 4.60 ERA with 96 walks and 137 strikeouts over 227 innings. Sophomore right-hander Hasten Freeman (3-2) leads all starters with a 3.15 ERA and has 12 walks and 33 strikeouts over 40 innings. Freeman, who began the season as a closer, also leads the team with four saves.
Texas A&M International (21-13, 16-8) had its three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a 6-3 nonconference home loss to No. 10-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Dustdevils, who are tied for second in the conference, have won two conference series in a row at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and at Oklahoma Panhandle State.
The Dustdevils are batting 0.296 as a team with 69 extra-base hits, including nine home runs. Six starters are batting 0.300 or better – senior catcher Sean Smedley (0.354), senior third baseman Alex Salas (0.327), junior infielder Alvaro Rondon (0.316), senior center fielder Jeff Anderson (0.309), senior outfielder Matt Garcia (0.309) and sophomore first baseman Alex McKeon (0.306).
Texas A&M International’s pitching staff has compiled a 3.86 ERA with 84 walks and 149 strikeouts over 275 1/3 innings. Junior right-hander Abdel Rivera (6-1) leads all starters with a 2.33 ERA and has nine walks and 32 strikeouts over 58 innings. Junior right-hander Dino Cristiani leads the team with five saves and owns a 3.56 ERA with five walks and 18 strikeouts over 30 1/3 innings.
Loading ...
