FORT SMITH - UAFS will look to keep its grip on first place in the Heartland Conference baseball standings this week when the Lions host the St. Mary’s Rattlers in a four-game series at Crowder Field.
The two-day series will begin with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Thursday and conclude with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Friday. Live statistics and live stream will be available.
It will be the first of two final home conference series for the No. 24-ranked Lions, who will host the Oklahoma Christian Eagles next weekend in a four-game conference series at Crowder Field before finishing the regular season with a four-game series at Lubbock Christion on May 3-4.
UAFS (27-10, 12-4) leads the conference by one game over second-place Lubbock Christian (26-12, 11-5). St. Mary’s (25-13, 9-7) is third, while St. Edward’s (20-17, 8-8) and Oklahoma Christian (18-18, 8-8) are tied for fourth place.
Rogers State (20-18, 6-10) and Newman (14-24, 6-10) are tied for sixth place, and Texas A&M International (12-25, 4-12) is last.
UAFS is coming off a 3-1 series win this past weekend at Rogers State and have won two games in a row.
The Lions bat 0.305 as a team with 356 hits, including 66 doubles, 16 triples and 26 home runs. Right fielder Logan Allen leads the team in batting average (0.362), hits (54), doubles (15) and stolen bases (14). Left fielder Dion Williams leads the team in triples (eight), center fielder Jace Pitchford leads the team in home runs (10) and infielder Troy Cahill leads the team in RBIs (37).
UAFS’ pitching staff has compiled a 3.83 ERA with 236 strikeouts and 108 walks over 293 2/3 innings. Right-hander Javon Rigsby leads all starters in ERA (3.04), and right-hander Dawson Floyd leads the staff in wins (eight), complete games (five), innings (67) and strikeouts (62). Relievers Cooper Van Kooten, Easton Stallings and Ryan McCutcheon lead the staff in saves (one).
St. Mary’s slipped from second place to third place after being losing its series against St. Edward’s 3-1 this past weekend and has lost three games in a row.
The Rattlers are batting 0.297 as a team with 349 hits, including 57 doubles, six triples and 15 home runs. Utility player Donnie Perez leads the team in batting average (0.367), doubles (13) and home runs (seven), is tied with outfielder James Davison for the team lead in hits (47) and is tied with infielder Jacob Aguilar for the team lead in RBIs (36). Davison leads the team in triples (three) and stolen bases (17).
St. Mary’s pitching staff has compiled a 3.79 ERA with 259 strikeouts and 172 walks over 306 1/3 innings. Left-hander Fernando Fernandez-Beltran leads all starters in ERA (2.63) and leads the staff in complete games (six), shutouts (two), innings (68 1/3) and strikeouts (69). Left-hander Zach De La Garza leads the staff in wins (seven), and reliever Octavio Rodriguez leads the staff in saves (two).