'Jacks Host Jacks in Weekend Home Series
2/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Stephen F. Austin vs. South Dakota State
Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, Texas
Game One: Friday, Feb. 27 • 6:30 p.m.
Game Two: Saturday, Feb. 28 • 2 p.m.
Game Three: Sunday, Mar. 1 • 1 p.m.
Records: SFA (2-7); South Dakota State (1-3)
Live Video: Game One •Game Two • Game Three
Live Stats: Game One •Game Two • Game Three
Twitter Updates: @SFA_Baseball
Opening Pitch
Stephen F. Austin returns to Jaycees Field for a three-game series against South Dakota State out of the Summit League this weekend. Game one is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday evening, followed by a 2 p.m. start Saturday and a 1 p.m. first pitch Sunday as the Lumberjacks and Jackrabbits meet for the first time since the 1986 season.
Probable Starters
• Game One: RHP Cameron Gann, SFA (1-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. RHP Adam Bray, SDSU (0-0, 15.00 ERA)
• Game Two: LHP Dillon Mangham, SFA (0-2, 10.00 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Anderson, SDSU (0-1, 1.50 ERA)
• Game Three: LHP Eric Polivka, SFA (0-0, 14.85 ERA) vs. RHP Chad Hodges, SDSU (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Scouting the Jackrabbits
2015: 1-3 overall, 1-3 road
Last Three Games: W at Mid American Nazarena (4-2), L vs. Northern Illinois (9-6), L at Austin Peay (3-1)
Head Coach: Dave Schrage (Creighton, 1983). 27th season overall, fourth season at SDSU (82-89-1, .479)
Synopsis: South Dakota State is 1-3 on the season, coming off a 4-2 win over MidAmerican Nazarene Wednesday night. The Jackrabbits posted an 0-3 record at the season-opening Governors Challenge in Clarksville, Tenn., dropping a pair of games to Northern Illinois and one to Austin Peay, before having a four-game slate at the Elon Tournament cancelled. As a team, SDSU is batting .217, averaging 4.3 runs per game while giving up 6.0.
Series Information
SFA and South Dakota State have met seven times previously but will get together for the first time since 1986. The Lumberjacks hold a 5-2 edge in the all-time series over the Jackrabbits, with all seven games being played in Nacogdoches. SFA won the first five games while SDSU won the last two.
Weather Forecast
Fans heading to Jaycees Field this weekend should prepare for both chilly and wet conditions. Friday's high is expected to be in the upper 30s with temperatures around first pitch scheduled to be in the mid 30s. Saturday should warm up into the mid 50s under mostly cloudy skies. Sunday's temperatures are expected to rise again to the lower 60s around first pitch, but there is a chance for showers and thunderstorms in the Nacogdoches area. Any weather-related game delays will be announced through the @SFA_Baseball account on Twitter.
Weekend Promotions
There are a handful of promotions on tap for this weekend's baseball series at Jaycees Field. Friday night will be Texas Country Night as one lucky fan will win two tickets to the Wade Bowen concert at Banita Hall on Saturday, February 8th, courtesy of Banita Creek Hall. Saturday's game will be First Responders Day as all local EMS, fire and police will receive two free general admission tickets into the game. It is SFA Baseball's way to thank and honor those heroes who dedicate their lives to protect and serve our community.
Last Time Out
SFA struck first in its game with 10th-ranked Rice as Garrett McMullen sent a solo homerun down the left field line in the second inning. But the Owls responded with 13 runs over the final five innings to race past SFA 13-1 at Reckling Park. Jarred Greene had a solid outing for the `Jacks, giving up three runs on two hits over 4.1 innings, including keeping Rice hitless through the first four innings. But the SFA bullpen had a rough night as six Lumberjack pitchers allowed 10 runs on 11 hits over the final 3.2 innings.
Lumberjacks Against the Summit League
SFA heads into the weekend with a 19-16 record against current Summit League teams since 1984. In addition to being 5-2 all-time against the Jackrabbits, SFA has posted a 7-6 record against Nebraska-Omaha, a 3-0 mark against North Dakota State and a 1-1 record against Western Illinois. The only current Summit League school the `Jacks have a losing record against is former Southland Conference foe Oral Roberts, who holds a 7-3 record against SFA, including a three-game series sweep at Jaycees Field in 2014.
McMullen Launches First SFA Round Tripper
Junior Garrett McMullen notched the first homerun of the 2015 season for SFA, launching a solo shot down the left field line to leadoff the second inning in its game against 10th-ranked Rice. It was the first round tripper of McMullen's career and ends a nine-game homerless streak, dating back to Kyle Thornell's homer against Houston Baptist in the second-to-last game of the 2014 season.
Looking Ahead
Following this weekend's series against South Dakota State, SFA takes a mid-week trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, facing second-ranked LSU on Tuesday, March 5th. SFA then returns to Jaycees Field to open up the 2015 Southland Conference slate hosting Central Arkansas in a three-game series March 6-8.
-SFA-
