Stephen F. Austin
Lamar
SFA Tangles with Lamar in Final Southland Conference Home Series of 2018
5/10/2018 4:45:00 PM | Baseball
Seniors Eric DeJesus, Josh Evans, Trevor Kiminski and Cole Ridgely to be recognized Saturday
Game Forty-Seven
Stephen F. Austin (15-31, 7-17 Southland) vs. Lamar (15-34, 9-15 Southland)
Friday, May 11 | 6:30 p.m. | Jaycees Field (1,000) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Live Stats | Watch (Facebook Live) | Weather Forecast
Pitching Matchup | RHP Jake Norton (1-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Driskell (5-4, 3.66 ERA)
Game Forty-Eight
Stephen F. Austin vs. Lamar | SFA Senior Day
Saturday, May 12 | 2:00 p.m. | Jaycees Field (1,000) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Live Stats | Weather Forecast
Pitching Matchup | RHP Trayson Kubo (0-2, 5.24 ERA) vs. LHP Noah Sills (3-5, 3.25 ERA)
Game Forty-Nine
Stephen F. Austin vs. Lamar | Mother's Day Game
Sunday, May 13 | 1:00 p.m. | Jaycees Field (1,000) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Live Stats | Watch (Facebook Live) | Weather Forecast
Pitching Matchup | RHP Trevor Kiminski (2-5, 5.63 ERA) vs. LHP Jason Blanchard (0-6, 3.94 ERA)
LEADOFF HITS
• Still in contention for a Southland Conference Tournament bid, the Stephen F. Austin baseball team plays its final home league series of the 2018 campaign this weekend when the 'Jacks play host to longtime Southland rival Lamar. Things get going Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. from Jaycees Field while game two is set for 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The series finale between the two squads has been slated for 1:00 p.m. Sunday. Friday's and Sunday's games will be streamed via Facebook Live. SFA's series against Lamar is sponsored by Tipton Ford-Lincoln.
• SFA's series against the Cardinals this weekend marks the final Southland Conference home series for four Lumberjack seniors: Eric DeJesus, Josh Evans, Trevor Kiminski and Cole Ridgely. Prior to the start of Saturday's game, each of SFA's four seniors will be recognized for their efforts in a pre-game ceremony before participating in the traditional senior run around the bases at the conclusion of the tilt.
• Currently, the 'Jacks sit four games back of eighth place in the Southland Conference standings with six league tilts remaining on their regular season schedule. The top eight teams make the cut for the Southland Conference Tournament.
• Through his last two starts, junior right-hander Jake Norton has distinguished himself as the 'Jacks' best starting option. A product of Waxahachie, Texas, Norton is 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 12 1/3 innings pitched through his previous two starts. During those starts, he has held opponents to a batting average of .158 while yielding only six hits.
• Thanks to a week that saw him hit .727/.733/.727, junior third baseman Jake Georgiades has leaped into the team lead in terms of batting average. Out of College Station, Texas, Georgiades is batting .331/.430/.368 and leads the team in batting average, on-base percentage and walks (24). Among all Southland Conference players, Georgiades ranks 14th in both batting average and on-base percentage.
• By blasting a three-run homer in the series finale against Nicholls last Sunday, senior Josh Evans moved into 10th place all-time on the 'Jacks' career home runs list. The Ponca City, Okla., product has belted a team-leading eight homers this season which brings his career total to 18. Currently Evans is batting .305/.387/.530 while leading the team in both RBI (37) and slugging percentage. Among Southland Conference players, Evans ranks third in home runs, ninth in both slugging percentage and doubles (13) and 11th in RBI.
• Freshman outfielder Jared Martin continues to lead the team in a multitude of offensive categories including doubles (17), extra-base hits (23), hits (52) and runs scored (38). His 17 doubles are the third-most among all Southland Conference players, the 36th-most nationally and the second-most among all NCAA Division I freshman baseball players.
• SFA relief arm Cody Adams is set to graduate Saturday and has been one of the nation's most-utilized pitchers in 2018. The junior out of Seymour, Texas, has appeared in 30 games which ranks fourth in the nation and second in the Southland Conference.
• Junior Nick Daley's 21 stolen bases lead the Southland Conference and are the 42nd-most by any NCAA Division I baseball player this season.
SERIES HISTORY vs. LAMAR
Record vs. Lamar | 17-55 (.236)
Streak | Lamar won three
In Nacogdoches, Texas | 9-27 (.250)
Streak | Lamar won five
In Beaumont, Texas | 6-28 (.176)
Streak | Lamar won four
Last game | at Lamar 9, SFA 4 (May 14, 2017)
SFA runs/per game | 292/4.1
Lamar runs/per game | 480/6.7
Last Lamar win | May 14, 2017 (at Lamar 9, SFA 4)
Last SFA win | May 26, 2016 (SFA 5, Lamar 2 at Southland Conference Tournament)
Cardenas vs. Lamar | 11-18 (.379)
SCOUTING LAMAR | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATISTICS
• Sitting only two games back of Nicholls for the all-important eighth place in the Southland Conference standings, the Cardinals' trip to Nacogdoches represents the endpoint of a 12-game road trip. During that swing, Lamar has gone just 2-10 with their only two wins coming against Southern (14-12, April 25) and at Southland adversary Nicholls (16-9, April 27)
• Lamar has dropped each of its last six games by a combined score of 30-7. The Cardinals' six-game losing skid is their second-longest of the season as earlier in the year Lamar dropped eight consecutive games from March 7-20.
• The Cardinals' difficulties have not been a direct result of their pitching staff, however, as Lamar's arms boast a collective 4.14 ERA which ranks as the fifth-lowest in the 13-team Southland Conference. Team wins leader Tanner Driskell (5-4) boasts a 3.66 ERA and all of the Cardinals' regular starters have ERAs south of 3.95.
• Offense has been difficult to produce to say the least for Lamar who is batting a collective .230/.316/.281 - all figures which are last in the Southland Conference. Everyday starter Philip Ingram has been one of the Cardinals' most consistent bats, slashing at .320/.438/.333 while leading the team in walks (30).
• Cole Giroud (.318/.355/.364) is the only other Lamar player batting above .300 while most of the Cardinals' production at the plate comes from Robin Adames. A senior, Adames is hitting .279/.374/.393 and leads the squad in hits (51), extra-base hits (13), doubles (nine), home runs (four) and RBI (29).
COMING UP NEXT
• For its final non-conference showdown of the 2018 regular season, the 'Jacks play host to Big 12 foe TCU Tuesday evening at Jaycees Field. First pitch between the 'Jacks and Horned Frogs has been set for 6:30 p.m.
-SFA-
