Stephen F. Austin
McNeese
SFA Starts Southland Conference Play with Three-Game Home Set against McNeese
3/16/2018 4:03:00 PM | Baseball
Both SFA and McNeese have won three straight headed into Friday's opener
Game Sixteen
Stephen F. Austin (4-11, 0-0 Southland) vs. McNeese (5-11, 2-1 Southland)
Friday, March 17 | 6:30 p.m. | Jaycees Field (1,000) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Live Stats | Weather Forecast
Pitching Matchup | LHP Dru Dziedzic (0-1, 7.84 ERA) vs. RHP Grant Anderson (1-1, 4.38 ERA)
Game Seventeen
Stephen F. Austin (4-11, 0-0 Southland) vs. McNeese (5-11, 2-1 Southland)
Saturday, March 18 | 2:00 p.m. | Jaycees Field (1,000) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Live Stats | Weather Forecast
Pitching Matchup | RHP Sean Beasley (1-0, 6.23 ERA) vs. TBA
Game Eighteen
Stephen F. Austin (4-11, 0-0 Southland) vs. McNeese (5-11, 2-1 Southland)
Sunday, March 19 | 1:00 p.m. | Jaycees Field (1,000) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Live Stats | Weather Forecast
Pitching Matchup | TBA vs. TBA
LEADOFF HITS
• Winners of four of its last five games, the Stephen F. Austin baseball team closes out its eight-game home stand this weekend by beginning Southland Conference play against McNeese at Jaycees Field. Game one begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday night while the second begins at 2:00 p.m. Saturday. The series finale is set for 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
• Since the 'Jacks started playing at home, they have been a different team. After starting the season 0-10, SFA has won three straight and four of its last five primarily by out-slugging the opposition. Through their last five, the 'Jacks are averaging 10.4 runs per game.
• SFA's offense hasn't been limited to just one person, either. Freshman Jared Martin still leads the team in batting average (.397), on-base percentage (.500), slugging percentage (.724), doubles (eight), home runs (three) and RBI (15) but he's hardly the only weapon SFA has.
• Skylar Black has turned into another potent player in the middle of SFA's lineup. The sophomore is batting .340/.429/.617 and of his 16 hits half of them are of the extra-base variety. His 12 RBI rank second on the team while infielder Manny Vasquez has driven in 10 to round out the team's top-three RBI producers.
SCOUTING McNEESE | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
• While the 'Jacks' last five games have yielded the team's most successful stretch of the season, the same can also be said of the Cowboys who roll into Nacogdoches on a three-game winning streak. McNeese took two out of three against Central Arkansas in their first Southland Conference series of the season and bested Houston 7-6 Tuesday night in Lake Charles, La.
• Shane Selman is the only McNeese player batting above .300. In 15 games played, he has posted a slash line of .309/.397/.673 while leading the team with 12 RBI, five doubles and five home runs.
• The Cowboys' pitching staff has posted an ERA of 5.70 thus far and it has been Cayne Ueckert who has been the squad's top arm. Ueckert's ERA of 3.63 is the best among the Cowboys' starters and his two wins on the hill represent 40-percent of the team's total.
• McNeese is just 1-4 (.200) in road games this season with their lone win coming in San Marcos, Texas, on Sunday, Feb. 25 as the Cowboys defeated Texas State 1-0 by using a pair of pitchers who tossed a no-hitter.
COMING UP NEXT
• Following a stretch of nearly three weeks at home, the 'Jacks head out on the road and step out of Southland Conference play for a Tuesday afternoon tilt at Prairie View A&M. First pitch between the 'Jacks and Panthers is set for 2:00 p.m.
-SFA-
