Friday, March 20
Nacogdoches, TX
6:00 P.M.
Stephen F. Austin
vs
Tarleton State
Photo by: Elysa Ripley
Tarleton State Up First for Jacks as Eight-Game Homestand Commences
3/19/2026 12:59:00 PM | Baseball
SFA carries 7-1 home record into non-league series against Texans
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin returns home to Pilgrim's Park, where the Jacks boast a 7-1 record this season, to welcome in Tarleton State for a three-game, non-conference series with the Texans. Friday's opener and Saturday's game two are set for 6 p.m. starts with Sunday's finale slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Live coverage links for the series are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
SFA (13-9) vs. TARLETON STATE (13-7)
Pilgrim's Park | March 20-22
PURCHASE TICKETS
Live Coverage
*Saturday's game will not be streamed, but live stats will be available.
THE SERIES
--- Friday's matchup will be the 16th between former WAC foes Tarleton and SFA. The Jacks lead the overall series by a game at 8-7 and are 4-2 against TSU at home. Tarleton has won the last two meetings to win the series last season in Stephenville. The series is 5-5 in the last 10 games.
TARLETON STATE RUNDOWN
2026 Season Statistics
--- Tarleton is coming off of a big 6-1 midweek victory at #2 Texas
--- TSU plated #7 Arkansas tight in a 3-1 defeat, beat SLC foe UIW in seven innings, defeated Baylor 6-5, swept a four-game series at New Mexico and lost two of three to Houston Christian
--- The Texans have turned the second-most double plays in the country with 25
--- As a team, Tarleton is slashing .295/.409/.480
--- TSU's 47 doubles are a top 25 mark in DI
--- Cort Lowery is 1-2 behind a team-high five starts and owns a 2.60 ERA in 17.1 IP with 19 strikeouts and 13 walks
--- Six TSU arms have seven or more relief appearances with Tai Phetluangsy pacing the backend with four saves in 11.1 IP
--- Phetluangsy has not allowed a run this season
--- Five bats hold averages north of .300 with Rayner Heinrich pacing at .391.
--- Carson Lorch leads with 29 hits and is one of five players with five or more doubles
--- Slade McCloud has stolen ten bases this season
MIDWEEK DUB
--- Six arms combined to limit UTA to one run and the SFA lineup saw spots two through four produce a collective six hits and three RBI as the Jacks beat the Mavericks 4-1 on Tuesday from Clay Gould Ballpark.
--- SFA improved its road record to 6-8.
--- Elian Balmaceda closed out the contest entering with the bases loaded and two outs, and fanned Hank Harp on three pitches. Reid Bowyer picked up the victory after being tabbed as most effective coming out of the bullpen. Bowyer tossed 3.2 innings in relief of starter Noah O'Farrell (2.1 IP, 1 R, 2 Ks) and allowed just one hit and one walk as he faced just one over the minimum.
--- Adrian Rubio (0.2 IP), Jack James (1.1 IP) and Jonathan Valdez (0.2 IP) all worked relief stints before Balmaceda finished off the Mavericks.
--- Julian Swift opened scoring with an RBI groundout in the top of the first. UTA's lone run was a sacrifice fly in the second. Juan Cantua gave the Jacks the lead with a double into right center in the sixth, Swift cushioned the advantage with run-scoring single in the pre-stretch seventh and Mark Henning plated the fourth run in the same frame by scoring Swift with a single on an 0-2 pitch.
--- SFA did not allow an extra base hit for the fourth time this season
--- The Jacks struck out ten batters for the ninth time this season
--- Swift (9), Creel (7) and Henning (5) each recorded two-hit games
USA INVESTMENT
--- Former Lumberjack Will Vest earned the call to Houston to join up with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic after being placed into the designated pitcher pool for the tournament.
--- Vest pitched the seventh inning of the WBC's Gold Medal game allowing one hit with one strikeout.
PEARatings
--- The Jacks have recorded 28 kill shots, an inning that sees a team score 2+ runs and then allow none, this season which are a top 65 mark nationally.
--- SFA's 1.27 kill shots per game are among the top 80 in the country.
--- SFA has recorded five first-inning kill shots; a top 40 total nationally.
--- The Jacks carry an offensive efficiency rating of .790; a top 40 rating in DI.
PILGRIM'S PARK MASH METRICS
--- Mark Henning belted a solo shot in the sixth inning of Sunday's series finale with Lamar out to right centerfield for the fourth long ball by the Jacks at Pilgrim's Park this season
B6, G3 vs. Lamar | Henning | 1R RC (389-100-29)
B3 vs. Huston Tillotson | Ibe | 2R LC (396-107-22)
B5, G2 vs. MVSU | Cantua | 1R LC (368-102-27)
B1, G4 vs. MVSU | Ibe | 1R RF (400-104-26)
(Distance (ft), Exit Velo (mph), Launch Angle (degrees))
GETTING OFFENSIVE
--- SFA's 155 total runs through 22 games are a top 75 mark in DI and the third-most among SLC schools.
--- The Jacks' per-game average of 7.0 is top five in the SLC.
--- The Jacks have scored eight or more runs in nine games this season.
--- Eight players have accounted for 11+ runs scored led by Jhett Creel's 21
--- SFA's 56 runs over opening weekend were the fourth-most in the country.
--- SFA's 91 runs plated through the first ten games of the season are the most in program history.
--- SFA plated 8+ runs in each of its first five games this season; the longest streak since scoring 8+ runs in a four-game sweep of UIW (4/1-3) and a midweek win over Grambling (4/6) in 2021.
--- The Jacks pushed across double-digit runs in each of the four games against the Delta Devils. SFA's 17 runs in the season opener are the second-most by the Jacks in any game under Vanderburg and the Jacks have 17 games with 10+ runs in his tenure following the win over Lamar in the series finale.
STREAKS & MULTIPLES
--- Creel holds the longest active hit streak for the Jacks at six games.
--- Juan Cantua has reached safely in his last 11 games
--- Ethan Peña leads SFA with 11 multi-hit games and Julian Swift follows with nine behind a pair of the team's only two four-hit games this season.
--- Swift leads with eight multi-RBI games and Peña follows with seven
--- Peña, Cermodrick Bland and Mark Henning all have a four-RBI game this season.
AT THE PLATE
--- Swift leads the SLC with 32 hits this season which are a top 45 mark in the country.
--- Swift leads the SLC with ten doubles, a top 12 mark in DI.
--- Peña follows with 28 hits and Creel has recorded 27 as SFA's 208 hits this season are a top 45 mark in the country and third in the SLC.
--- Peña and Swift lead the Jacks with 20 RBI each
--- The Jacks have recorded 10+ hits in 11 of 22 games played with seven games of 12+.
--- SFA has combined for 60 extra-base hits with ten different Jacks accounting for the team's 42 doubles, a DI top 60 total and the most in the Southland.
TAKE THE FREEBIES
--- SFA ranks in the top 35 nationally in walks drawn with an SLC second-best mark of 123.
--- Creel (19), Schneider (17) and Henning (16) all rank in the top ten in the SLC in walks drawn with a collective 52.
--- The Jacks drew 38 walks on opening weekend second to only New Mexico (41).
NO SPEED TRAPS
--- The Jacks have stolen 38 bases, a top 60 mark in the country.
--- SFA's 1.73 per game is inside the top 85 in the country and pace the SLC.
--- Schneider has been successful in all eight of his attempts with Rodric Black perfect in five efforts. Bland is 10-for-11 in stolen bag opportunities.
--- Ten players have recorded a steal this season with seven grabbing multiple bags.
ON THE HILL
--- SFA ranks second in the SLC in K-to-BB ratio at 2.28 which is inside the top 75 in DI.
--- The Jacks rank fourth in walks allowed per nine (4.11) and ranks fifth in strikeouts per nine (9.4).
--- SFA has recorded 189 punchouts with 19 arms responsible for two or more and Cody Templeton pacing the staff with 27.
--- Nate Vidlak (24) and Dylan Mulcahy (22) have each crossed over 20 strikeouts this season.
--- Jack James has 16.0 IP with just two earned runs allowed and has scattered ten hits and three walks over eight appearances with 14 strikeouts.
--- Kadin Munson and Redi Bowyer have matched James' eight appearances. Bowyer has the second-most innings thrown (12.2) among arms without a start this season. He owns a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
NOTABLES
Eleven is Heaven --- SFA erupted for 11 runs in the eighth inning of Sunday's series finale against Lamar to erase a 9-3 deficit on their way to a series win with a 14-11 victory. It was the sixth inning of 7+ runs in Vanderburg's tenure and the fourth in 17 games this season.
All good things --- Cermodrick Bland's active reached safely streak ended at 31 games following game two of the UNO series.
Seven of 10 --- The Jacks won seven of the squad's first ten games of the season for the first time since 2010.
Impressive Streak --- Julian Swift saw a 19-game hitting streak come to an end in Pine Bluff. Swift's impressive stretch of base knocks is the third longest in program history.
Best Start… Ever --- SFA's 5-0 start to the season is the best in program history, while its sweep of MVSU to open the year marked just the second 4-0 start ever by the Jacks.
Not Tonight --- SFA's effort on the mound, using six different arms, against Huston Tillotson marked the first combined nine-inning no-hitter in program history.
Nine is Fine --- The Jacks swiped nine bases in the game three win over MVSU which is tied for the second-most steals in a single game in program history.
Game One, Game Won --- SFA's 17-2 (7) win over Mississippi Valley State was the Jacks' first win in a season opener since knocking off Northwestern State in the first game of the 2022 campaign.
SECURE YOUR SEATS TODAY
Single game tickets for all SFA baseball home games are available now. Fans interested in purchasing season ticket packages can secure their seats here. Don't miss out on all the exciting action from Pilgrim's Park this season!
THE JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE JACKS
For all the latest information on SFA baseball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Jacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
SFA (13-9) vs. TARLETON STATE (13-7)
Pilgrim's Park | March 20-22
PURCHASE TICKETS
Live Coverage
*Saturday's game will not be streamed, but live stats will be available.
THE SERIES
--- Friday's matchup will be the 16th between former WAC foes Tarleton and SFA. The Jacks lead the overall series by a game at 8-7 and are 4-2 against TSU at home. Tarleton has won the last two meetings to win the series last season in Stephenville. The series is 5-5 in the last 10 games.
TARLETON STATE RUNDOWN
2026 Season Statistics
--- Tarleton is coming off of a big 6-1 midweek victory at #2 Texas
--- TSU plated #7 Arkansas tight in a 3-1 defeat, beat SLC foe UIW in seven innings, defeated Baylor 6-5, swept a four-game series at New Mexico and lost two of three to Houston Christian
--- The Texans have turned the second-most double plays in the country with 25
--- As a team, Tarleton is slashing .295/.409/.480
--- TSU's 47 doubles are a top 25 mark in DI
--- Cort Lowery is 1-2 behind a team-high five starts and owns a 2.60 ERA in 17.1 IP with 19 strikeouts and 13 walks
--- Six TSU arms have seven or more relief appearances with Tai Phetluangsy pacing the backend with four saves in 11.1 IP
--- Phetluangsy has not allowed a run this season
--- Five bats hold averages north of .300 with Rayner Heinrich pacing at .391.
--- Carson Lorch leads with 29 hits and is one of five players with five or more doubles
--- Slade McCloud has stolen ten bases this season
MIDWEEK DUB
--- Six arms combined to limit UTA to one run and the SFA lineup saw spots two through four produce a collective six hits and three RBI as the Jacks beat the Mavericks 4-1 on Tuesday from Clay Gould Ballpark.
--- SFA improved its road record to 6-8.
--- Elian Balmaceda closed out the contest entering with the bases loaded and two outs, and fanned Hank Harp on three pitches. Reid Bowyer picked up the victory after being tabbed as most effective coming out of the bullpen. Bowyer tossed 3.2 innings in relief of starter Noah O'Farrell (2.1 IP, 1 R, 2 Ks) and allowed just one hit and one walk as he faced just one over the minimum.
--- Adrian Rubio (0.2 IP), Jack James (1.1 IP) and Jonathan Valdez (0.2 IP) all worked relief stints before Balmaceda finished off the Mavericks.
--- Julian Swift opened scoring with an RBI groundout in the top of the first. UTA's lone run was a sacrifice fly in the second. Juan Cantua gave the Jacks the lead with a double into right center in the sixth, Swift cushioned the advantage with run-scoring single in the pre-stretch seventh and Mark Henning plated the fourth run in the same frame by scoring Swift with a single on an 0-2 pitch.
--- SFA did not allow an extra base hit for the fourth time this season
--- The Jacks struck out ten batters for the ninth time this season
--- Swift (9), Creel (7) and Henning (5) each recorded two-hit games
USA INVESTMENT
--- Former Lumberjack Will Vest earned the call to Houston to join up with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic after being placed into the designated pitcher pool for the tournament.
--- Vest pitched the seventh inning of the WBC's Gold Medal game allowing one hit with one strikeout.
PEARatings
--- The Jacks have recorded 28 kill shots, an inning that sees a team score 2+ runs and then allow none, this season which are a top 65 mark nationally.
--- SFA's 1.27 kill shots per game are among the top 80 in the country.
--- SFA has recorded five first-inning kill shots; a top 40 total nationally.
--- The Jacks carry an offensive efficiency rating of .790; a top 40 rating in DI.
PILGRIM'S PARK MASH METRICS
--- Mark Henning belted a solo shot in the sixth inning of Sunday's series finale with Lamar out to right centerfield for the fourth long ball by the Jacks at Pilgrim's Park this season
B6, G3 vs. Lamar | Henning | 1R RC (389-100-29)
B3 vs. Huston Tillotson | Ibe | 2R LC (396-107-22)
B5, G2 vs. MVSU | Cantua | 1R LC (368-102-27)
B1, G4 vs. MVSU | Ibe | 1R RF (400-104-26)
(Distance (ft), Exit Velo (mph), Launch Angle (degrees))
GETTING OFFENSIVE
--- SFA's 155 total runs through 22 games are a top 75 mark in DI and the third-most among SLC schools.
--- The Jacks' per-game average of 7.0 is top five in the SLC.
--- The Jacks have scored eight or more runs in nine games this season.
--- Eight players have accounted for 11+ runs scored led by Jhett Creel's 21
--- SFA's 56 runs over opening weekend were the fourth-most in the country.
--- SFA's 91 runs plated through the first ten games of the season are the most in program history.
--- SFA plated 8+ runs in each of its first five games this season; the longest streak since scoring 8+ runs in a four-game sweep of UIW (4/1-3) and a midweek win over Grambling (4/6) in 2021.
--- The Jacks pushed across double-digit runs in each of the four games against the Delta Devils. SFA's 17 runs in the season opener are the second-most by the Jacks in any game under Vanderburg and the Jacks have 17 games with 10+ runs in his tenure following the win over Lamar in the series finale.
STREAKS & MULTIPLES
--- Creel holds the longest active hit streak for the Jacks at six games.
--- Juan Cantua has reached safely in his last 11 games
--- Ethan Peña leads SFA with 11 multi-hit games and Julian Swift follows with nine behind a pair of the team's only two four-hit games this season.
--- Swift leads with eight multi-RBI games and Peña follows with seven
--- Peña, Cermodrick Bland and Mark Henning all have a four-RBI game this season.
AT THE PLATE
--- Swift leads the SLC with 32 hits this season which are a top 45 mark in the country.
--- Swift leads the SLC with ten doubles, a top 12 mark in DI.
--- Peña follows with 28 hits and Creel has recorded 27 as SFA's 208 hits this season are a top 45 mark in the country and third in the SLC.
--- Peña and Swift lead the Jacks with 20 RBI each
--- The Jacks have recorded 10+ hits in 11 of 22 games played with seven games of 12+.
--- SFA has combined for 60 extra-base hits with ten different Jacks accounting for the team's 42 doubles, a DI top 60 total and the most in the Southland.
TAKE THE FREEBIES
--- SFA ranks in the top 35 nationally in walks drawn with an SLC second-best mark of 123.
--- Creel (19), Schneider (17) and Henning (16) all rank in the top ten in the SLC in walks drawn with a collective 52.
--- The Jacks drew 38 walks on opening weekend second to only New Mexico (41).
NO SPEED TRAPS
--- The Jacks have stolen 38 bases, a top 60 mark in the country.
--- SFA's 1.73 per game is inside the top 85 in the country and pace the SLC.
--- Schneider has been successful in all eight of his attempts with Rodric Black perfect in five efforts. Bland is 10-for-11 in stolen bag opportunities.
--- Ten players have recorded a steal this season with seven grabbing multiple bags.
ON THE HILL
--- SFA ranks second in the SLC in K-to-BB ratio at 2.28 which is inside the top 75 in DI.
--- The Jacks rank fourth in walks allowed per nine (4.11) and ranks fifth in strikeouts per nine (9.4).
--- SFA has recorded 189 punchouts with 19 arms responsible for two or more and Cody Templeton pacing the staff with 27.
--- Nate Vidlak (24) and Dylan Mulcahy (22) have each crossed over 20 strikeouts this season.
--- Jack James has 16.0 IP with just two earned runs allowed and has scattered ten hits and three walks over eight appearances with 14 strikeouts.
--- Kadin Munson and Redi Bowyer have matched James' eight appearances. Bowyer has the second-most innings thrown (12.2) among arms without a start this season. He owns a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
NOTABLES
Eleven is Heaven --- SFA erupted for 11 runs in the eighth inning of Sunday's series finale against Lamar to erase a 9-3 deficit on their way to a series win with a 14-11 victory. It was the sixth inning of 7+ runs in Vanderburg's tenure and the fourth in 17 games this season.
All good things --- Cermodrick Bland's active reached safely streak ended at 31 games following game two of the UNO series.
Seven of 10 --- The Jacks won seven of the squad's first ten games of the season for the first time since 2010.
Impressive Streak --- Julian Swift saw a 19-game hitting streak come to an end in Pine Bluff. Swift's impressive stretch of base knocks is the third longest in program history.
Best Start… Ever --- SFA's 5-0 start to the season is the best in program history, while its sweep of MVSU to open the year marked just the second 4-0 start ever by the Jacks.
Not Tonight --- SFA's effort on the mound, using six different arms, against Huston Tillotson marked the first combined nine-inning no-hitter in program history.
Nine is Fine --- The Jacks swiped nine bases in the game three win over MVSU which is tied for the second-most steals in a single game in program history.
Game One, Game Won --- SFA's 17-2 (7) win over Mississippi Valley State was the Jacks' first win in a season opener since knocking off Northwestern State in the first game of the 2022 campaign.
SECURE YOUR SEATS TODAY
Single game tickets for all SFA baseball home games are available now. Fans interested in purchasing season ticket packages can secure their seats here. Don't miss out on all the exciting action from Pilgrim's Park this season!
THE JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE JACKS
For all the latest information on SFA baseball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Jacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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