`Jacks Host Nicholls State To Close Home Slate
5/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 8, 2014
Stephen F. Austin (17-30, 8-16 SLC) at Nicholls State (27-23, 16-8 SLC)
Friday, May 9 (6:00 p.m.) • Live Stats | Stream
Saturday, May 10 (2:00 p.m.) • Live Stats
Sunday, May 11 (1:00 p.m.) • Live Stats | Stream
Jaycees Field - Nacogdoches, Texas
Opening Pitch
• The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack baseball team will close their home slate with their final Southland Conference home series, hosting Nicholls State this weekend. The three-games series at Jaycees Field will begin in a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Friday, followed by tilts at 2:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. • The `Jacks enter the weekend at 17-30 overall and 8-16 in Southland Conference play. Last week, SFA dropped four games, falling 14-4 to then No. 13 TCU at home, before being swept at Sam Houston State by scores of 5-4, 12-1 (eight innings) and 16-7. NICH enters the weekend 27-23 overall and 16-8 in SLC action.
• The `Jacks will start junior Dillon Mangham on Friday with seniors Kevin Bishop and Kyle Cross slated for the weekend. SFA will see senior Taylor Byrd, sophomore Grant Borne and senior Brandon Jackson on the mound for the Colonels across the series.
• Sunday's game will serve as Senior Day for nine `Jacks - Kevin Bishop, Kyle Cross, Rick Cruz, Mackenzie Handel, Justin Hunsaker, Gevon Jackson, Zach Marberry, Ricardo Sanchez and Brett Thornell. All nine SFA players will be recognized in a ceremony before the first pitch.
Players of Note
• Heading into the weekend, senior Mackenzie Handel has continued to enjoy a steady season at the plate, leading both the team and Southland Conference in several offensive categories. Handel currently leads the league in homeruns (10), sitting second in slugging percentage (.556) and RBI (41). The native of Chandler, Ariz., ranks third in the SLC in walks (33) and fourth in total bases (95), while also leading the `Jacks in batting average (.322), on-base percentage (.432), runs (28) and hits (55). Handel's homer mark is tied for 18th in the nation, while his number of walks sits in a tie for 47th.
• Senior Zach Marberry currently leads the league with 16 doubles, with a .277/.447/.366 split. Marberry's doubles mark is tied for 49th in the nation.
Promotion(s)
• Saturday's game will serve as "Youth Baseball Day" at Jaycees Field. Any child who wears his baseball uniform to the game will get in for free.
• The Colonels enter the week 27-23 overall and 16-8 in SLC play, having won eight of their last 11 games. NICH is currently in a three-way tie for second in the league standings, one game off the pace of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Colonels are coming off a 1-2 loss at Southeastern Louisiana last weekend. NICH's ability to turn plays up the middle have been a major factor in their success, as they rank second in the nation in double plays (60) and third in double plays per game (1.20). The ability to turn-two has saved the arms of the Colonel staff, which ranks 19th in earned run average (2.69). NICH is led by Leo Vargas (.308) and Keith Cormier (.305), who are both hitting over .300 on the season and rank among the conference leaders in several offensive categories. Vargas ranks fourth in runs scored (41) and tied for fourth in stolen bases (15), while Cormier sits tied second in RBI (41) and fourth in triples (3). On the mound Byrd and Borne are tied for third in the league in wins (7), while sitting second (72) and third (68) in strikeouts. Borne also sits ninth in innings pitched (78.2).
• Friday's game will mark the 53rd meeting between the two teams dating back to 1985. The `Jacks, trailing 21-31 all-time, are 10-5 verse the Colonels under head coach Johnny Cardenas, with a 6-3 mark at Jaycees Field. The `Jacks have taken two of three verse NICH in each series dating back to the 2009 season, Cardenas' first as head coach. SFA last swept the Colonels in the 2008 season and have not been swept since 1995.
The Last Time Out
• Sophomore Kyle Thornell knocked his fifth homerun of the season, with a two-run shot in the fourth inning, but Sam Houston State completed the series sweep in a 16-7 win over the 'Jacks on Sunday, May 4, at Don Sanders Stadium.
Up Next
• SFA will close out the regular season on a four-game road swing. The 'Jacks will travel to Creighton on Tuesday, May 13, before heading to Houston Baptist for a three-game series beginning May 16.
-SFA-
