SFA Baseball Hosts Nicholls State
4/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 26, 2007
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks are hosting the Nicholls State Colonels in a three-game series at Jaycees Field this weekend. Friday's game is slated for a 3 p.m. start with the following games beginning at 1 p.m. the Lumberjacks are coming off a 6-0 mid-week loss at Texas A&M Wednesday night, snapping their two-win game streak. SFA currently sits with a 23-20 overall record and a 10-8 Southland Conference mark.
The Colonels: Nicholls State is having a tough year as the Colonels sit in last place in the SLC with a 1-17 league record and a 5-37 overall mark. From the plate, Thomas Bourne is batting .343 in 29 games played. He has 37 hits and has scored 21 runs to lead the team. This weekend's starters are righties, Lance Dupuis, Ross Larson and Michael Bartek. Dupuis, who is making the start Friday, has the lowest ERA on the rotation with a 5.35. In 20.0 innings of work, he has struck out 11 and has a 1-3 record. Saturday's starter, Larson, has a 6.00 ERA with a 1-6 record. He has 28 Ks through 51.0 innings. Bartek, who will take the mound Sunday, has a 6.95 ERA and has yet to win a game as he has a record of 0-9. He has struck out 42 and walked 32 in 57.0 innings.
Against the Colonels: Nicholls State is on the upside of a 16-5 overall record between SFA and the Colonels. Last season, the Lumberjacks took one of three games from Nicholls State at Jaycees Field.
The Coaches: SFA's Donnie Watson is in his second season at the helm of the Lumberjack baseball program. In his time with the 'Jacks, Watson has put together a 38-61 (.387) overall record and an SLC mark of 17-30 (.361). Nicholls State's Chip Durham is in his second season as the head coach of the Colonels.
The Starters
Friday - Erich Lehmann: Sophomore Erich Lehmann threw 7.0 innings against the Roadrunners Friday, giving up five runs off 10 hits. He struck out three and walked only one in the outing. Lehmann did not factor in the extra-inning decision that gave the Lumberjacks a 7-6 loss. For the year, the Fort Worth native has a 4.26 ERA with a 6-2 record. He is still tied for the all-time wins record in school history. In 80.1 innings, Lehmann has struck out 55 and walked 14.
Saturday - Jared Schrom: Sophomore right hander Jared Schrom threw seven complete innings for his second straight outing. He gave up five runs - three earned - off eight hits. He struck out two and walked two as he took a no decision. In an inning of relief at Texas A&M Wednesday night, Schrom allowed one hit and struck out one. Schrom has made 12 starts in 14 appearances this season. He is leading the 'Jacks' rotation with 59 Ks this season. The Portland, Texas, native has a 3.45 ERA this season.
Sunday - Lance Luetge: One week after Lance Luetge was named the Southland's Pitcher of the Week for his two-hitter against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the southpaw returned to the mound in Sunday's rubber game and shut down the SLC's then-first team. He held the Roadrunners to just five hits as he pitched 8.1 innings en route to a 1-0 win over UTSA. Luetge earned his sixth win of the season and has a 3.31 ERA. He also has 45 strikeouts on the season.
Reliever Richard Folmer: Sophomore Richard Folmer had a good week on the mound for SFA picking up a save and a win in three appearances. At Dallas Baptist, the righty gave up two hits in 2.1 innings and struck out four. Then on consecutive days against Texas-San Antonio, Folmer gave up three hits in 3.1 total innings and struck out two. He earned his second win of the season Saturday against the Roadrunners. For the season, Folmer has a 4.91 ERA and leads the 'Jacks with three saves. He has 31 Ks on the year, compared to just 17 in 2006.
Reliever Russ Fornea: In his last four appearances, sophomore Russ Fornea has shut down the opposition. Through 4.1 innings, he has allowed three hits and has struck out four while not giving up a run or allowing a walk. The Nacogdoches native earned his first save of the season in Sunday's 1-0 shut out after coming in to face the final two batters and forcing a groundout before striking out the final batter. Fornea is 2-2 on the year with a 3.18 ERA. He has 22 Ks.
Howser Watch List: Lumberjack first baseman Steven Hill has been named to the Dick Howser Trophy watch list, announced the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Thursday afternoon. Hill is one of 50 candidates on the watch list for the award given to the top player in collegiate baseball. Hill is one of two players in the Southland Conference to be named to the list. Sam Houston State's Bobby Verbick is the other SLC player on the list.
Nationally Ranked: The Lumberjacks have left their mark on the national rankings in three different categories this season. Before his two home runs last week, Steven Hill was ranked fourth in the nation in home runs. He is also ranked in the top 10 for home runs per game. Hill's numbers have also helped the team land 14th for home runs per game. Hill is also ranked among the top 10 for RBI per game and in the top 15 in slugging percentage.
Firsts for UTSA: The Lumberjacks were responsible for handing Texas-San Antonio a couple of firsts this past weekend. The Lumberjacks' two consecutive wins over the Roadrunners marked the first time UTSA had lost two straight since the first weekend of March. It was also the first time the first-place Roadrunners had lost a Southland Conference series. Sunday's 1-0 loss was also the first time UTSA had been shut out in 2007.
Up Next: After the Nicholls State series, the Lumberjacks hit the road for their secondlongest stretch of road games this season. SFA will play a three-game set at Texas State, followed by a weekend series at Texas-Arlington before heading home to close out the 2007 slate against Sam Houston in the final weekend of the season.
-SFA-
