FORT SMITH - UAFS will continue its road trip through the Sooner State this weekend when the Lions baseball team plays a four-game Heartland Conference series against the Rogers State Hillcats at the Diamond Sports Complex in Claremore, Okla.
The series will begin with a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. on Friday and finish with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Live statistics and live stream will be available, and the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader will be broadcast on KFPW-AM 1230 and KFPW-FM 96.7.
It will be the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth games in seven days for the Lions. UAFS won its four-game conference series 3-1 against Newman on Sunday and Monday at Crowder Field and beat Oklahoma Baptist 14-4 in 10 innings Bison Field in Shawnee, Okla., on Tuesday in nonconference play.
It also will be the second four-game series of the season between UAFS and Rogers State. The two teams played a nonconference series at Crowder Field on March 8-9, which the Lions won 3-1.
UAFS, which is ranked No. 5 in the NCBWA Division II South Central Region Poll, will look to keep its grip on first place in the conference. The Lions (24-9, 9-3) lead the St. Mary’s Rattlers (24-10, 8-4) by one game and the third-place Lubbock Christian Chaps (22-12, 7-5) by two games.
The Lions are batting 0.306 as a team with 316 hits, including 59 doubles, 12 triples and 22 home runs. Right fielder Logan Allen leads the team in batting average (0.366), hits (49), doubles (11) and stolen bases (13). Left fielder Dion Williams leads the team in triples (five), infielder Troy Cahill leads the team in RBIs (32) and center fielder Jace Pitchford leads the team in home runs (eight).
UAFS’ pitching staff has compiled a 3.73 ERA with 97 walks and 213 strikeouts over 262 2/3 innings. Right-hander Dawson Floyd leads all starters in ERA (2.73) and leads the staff in wins (seven), complete games (five), innings (59 1/3) and strikeouts (58). Relievers Cooper Van Kooten and Ryan McCutcheon lead the team in saves (one).
Rogers State (19-15, 5-7) is fifth in the conference and is coming off a conference series split at St. Edward’s this past weekend. The Hillcats have not won a conference series during the first three weeks of the season, losing 3-1 to St. Mary’s and splitting with Texas A&M International and St. Edward’s.
The Hillcats are batting 0.273 as a team with 281 hits, including 59 doubles, three triples and eight home runs. Catcher Garrett Hall leads the team in batting average (0.339), and infielder Zack Mann leads the team in hits (40), doubles (nine), RBIs (21) and stolen bases (six). Three different Hillcats have two home runs apiece, and three different Hillcats have one triple apiece.
Rogers State’s pitching staff has compiled a 3.42 ERA with 195 strikeouts and 102 walks over 268 1/3 innings. Right-hander Spencer Bivens leads the staff in ERA (1.42) and wins (six). Left-hander Tim Luce leads the staff in complete games (four), innings (57 2/3) and strikeouts (53). Reliever Brock Knoten leads the staff in saves (four).