UAFS will look to win its fourth series of the season this weekend when the Lions host Heartland Conference foe Oklahoma Christian Eagles in a three-game, nonconference series at Crowder Field.
The series will begin with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Friday and conclude with one game at noon on Saturday.
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It will be the second of three nonconference series against conference opponents for UAFS. The Lions, who won their series 2-1 last weekend against the conference foe Newman Jets, will play a three-game, nonconference series against conference foe Rogers State Hillcats on March 15 and 16 at Claremore, Okla.
It will be an interesting nonconference encounter between UAFS and Oklahoma Christian. The Lions (10-4) cracked the NCBWA South Central Region Top 10 for the first time this season at No. 9 in the latest poll, while Oklahoma Christian (11-2) moved up three spots to No. 6.
UAFS and Oklahoma Christian are two of four Heartland Conference teams in the latest poll. Lubbock Christian (10-5) is No. 8 and Rogers State (11-4) is No. 10.
The Lions swept their series-opening doubleheader against the Jets last weekend, winning 4-1 and 5-4, respectively, but lost the finale 7-3. Oklahoma Christian swept its weather-shortened series against Rogers State, winning a doubleheader 4-0, 5-3, respectively, this past Saturday and beat Southern Nazarene 0-0 in a nonconference game on Tuesday.
The Lions are batting 0.281 as a team with 121 hits, including 25 doubles, 1 triple and 9 home runs. First baseman
Kyle Love leads the team in average (0.373), hits (19), home runs (3) and RBIs (17). Right fielder
Logan Allen leads the team in doubles (5), infielder
Brandan Warner leads the team in triples (1) and catcher
Dylan Hurt leads the team in stolen bases (5)
UAFS' pitching staff has compiled a 4.34 ERA with 92 strikeouts and 44 walks over 112 innings. Right-hander
Javon Rigsby leads all starters in ERA (1.78) and leads the staff in complete games (2), shutouts (1), innings (25 1/3) and strikeouts (23). Right-hander
Ryan Horn leads the staff in wins (2), and right-hander
Korbin Polly leads the staff in saves (2).
Oklahoma Christian is batting 0.308 as a team with 135 hits, including 30 doubles, 6 triples and 6 home runs. Outfielder Blake Empkey leads the team in average (0.457) and hits (21), is one of six players tied for the team lead in triples (1) and leads the team in RBIs (13). Outfielder Hunter Markwardt leads the team in doubles (8) and stolen bases (9), and first baseman Alex Garcia leads the team in home runs (3).
The Eagles' pitching staff has compiled a 4.01 ERA with 104 strikeouts and 55 walks over 110 innings. Right-hander Gabe Rodery, who was this week's Conference Pitcher of the Week, leads all starters in ERA (1.50), leads the staff in innings (24), strikeouts (33), complete games (1) and shutouts (1) and is tied with three other pitchers for the staff lead in wins (2). Right-hander Jared Price leads the staff in saves (5).
