UALR
COACH Chris Curry (63-95 in third season at UALR and overall) 2017 RECORD 21-34, 11-18 Sun Belt Conference
SEASON OPENER at Tennessee Tech, 3 p.m. today
PROJECTION Fifth, Sun Belt West
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS None
TOP NEWCOMERS OF Marcus Ragan, INF/RHP Nick Perez, OF Ryan Benavidez
SCOUTING REPORT Out of the 34 players on UALR’s roster, there are 23 new players. The Trojans lost all of its top five contributors in batting average and RBI except junior infielder Riley Pittman (.305, 34 RBI), sophomore catcher Kale Emshoff and junior second baseman Christian Reyes are the only returning members of UALR’s last starting lineup from last season. That team benefited from the Sun Belt Conference’s inaugural expansion of its postseason tournament from eight teams to 10, and the No. 9-seeded Trojans were eliminated in the first round by No. 8 Texas State. UALR has not won a tournament game since its Sun Belt championship in 2011, and Coach Chris Curry said this season’s success will come down to how quickly his team’s raw talent turns into consistent production. Curry was high on junior college transfers Marcus Ragan and Nick Perez. Ragan, who will start in center field, turned down an offer from the Boston Red Sox, which drafted him in the 15th round after he hit .395 with 6 home runs and 34 RBI for East Mississippi Community College. Perez, who will start at third base and pitch from out of the bullpen, hit .320 with 5 home runs and 21 RBI at San Jacinto (Texas) College. LHP Chandler Fidel (3-7, 4.83 ERA), LHP Cole Townsend (2-1, 3.70) and RHP McKinley Moore (0-2, 6.10) will be the weekend starters. QUOTING CHRIS CURRY “You commit to [new players] and you let them play. You make sure they understand you’re going to make mistakes. Play without fear of failure … Before they leave this campus, I think they’ll do some things that haven’t been done here before.”
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Today at Tenn. Tech 3 p.m. Saturday at Tenn. Tech 2 p.m. Sunday at Tenn. Tech 1 p.m. Tuesday at Central Ark. 4 p.m. Feb. 23 IUPUFW 3 p.m. Feb. 24 IUPUFW (DH) 1 p.m. Feb. 25 IUPUFW 1 p.m. Feb. 27 at Oklahoma St. 4 p.m. Feb. 28 at Oklahoma St. 4 p.m. March 2 NW (La.) State 3 p.m. March 3 NW (La.) State 2 p.m. March 4 NW (La.) State 1 p.m. March 7 at Ole Miss 6:30 p.m. March 9 at Memphis 6:30 p.m. March 10 at Memphis 2 p.m. March 11 at Memphis 1 p.m. March 13 Louisiana Tech 4 p.m. March 16 at Troy 6 p.m. March 17 at Troy 3 p.m. March 18 at Troy 1 p.m. March 23 Texas-Arlington 6 p.m. March 24 Texas-Arlington 2 p.m. March 25 Texas-Arlington 1 p.m. March 27 Oral Roberts 6 p.m. March 29 at Texas State 6 p.m. March 30 at Texas State 6 p.m. March 31 at Texas State 1 p.m. April 3 Central Ark. 6 p.m. April 4 at La. Tech 6 p.m. April 6 Ga. Southern 6 p.m.
DATE OPPONENT TIME
April 7 Ga. Southern 2 p.m. April 8 Ga. Southern 11 a.m. April 10 at Oklahoma 6:30 p.m. April 13 La.-Monroe 6 p.m. April 14 La.-Monroe 2 p.m. April 15 La.-Monroe 1 p.m. April 18 at NW (La.) St, 6 p.m. April 20 at La.-Lafayette 6 p.m. April 21 at La.-Lafayette 6 p.m. April 22 at La.-Lafayette 1 p.m. April 24 at Ark,-Pine Bluff 3 p.m. April 27 at Appalachian St. 6 p.m. April 28 at Appalachian St. 3 p.m. April 29 at Appalachian St. 1 p.m. May 4 South Alabama 6 p.m. May 5 South Alabama 2 p.m. May 6 South Alabama 1 p.m. May 8 Ark.-Pine Bluff 6 p.m. May 11 at Coastal Carolina 6 p.m. May 12 at Coastal Carolina 2 p.m. May 13 at Coastal Carolina noon May 15 Central Ark.^ 6 p.m. May 17 Arkansas State 6 p.m. May 18 Arkansas State 2 p.m. May 19 Arkansas State 1 p.m. May 22-27 Sun Belt Tournament, Lafayette, La.
*Sun Belt Conference game
^Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
Arkansas State
COACH Tommy Raffo (258-256-1 in ninth season at Arkansas State and overall)
2017 RECORD 28-27, 13-16 Sun Belt Conference
SEASON OPENER Illinois State, 6 p.m. today
PROJECTION Fourth, Sun Belt West
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS None
TOP NEWCOMERS INF Jacob Jablonski, 1B Kyle McDonald, RHP Jesse Kutzke
SCOUTING REPORT Arkansas State has been eliminated in the Sun Belt Conference semifinals in five consecutive seasons, and although the Red Wolves recorded their first postseason winning record last season, Coach Tommy Raffo said they were hoping to, “do something a little more special than that.” This season’s team starts off with a major setback: senior catcher and last year’s leader in RBI, Justin Felix (.247, 46 RBI), suffered a broken fibula during the offseason and Raffo said he will be out for another six weeks. Sophomore Cullen Ray (1 for 6 in eight games in 2017) will start in his place. Raffo said pitching is ASU’s strength, even without Tyler Zuber (6-1, 2.06 ERA), who became the highest-drafted ASU player in program history when the Kansas City Royals selected him last June in the sixth round. Returning weekend starters, RHP Bradey Welsh (4-2, 6.23) and RHP Peyton Culbertson (5-7, 6.32), will be joined by senior LHP Coulton Lee to complete the three-man rotation. Lee redshirted last season and went 5-8 with a 4.18 ERA in 2016. There’s returning depth in the ASU lineup, but freshman Jacob Jablonski will start at third base. A four-year letterman from Paraclete (Calif.) High School, the switch-hitting Jablonski also was an alternate for the USA Junior Olympic team.
QUOTING TOMMY RAFFO “We’re adjusting behind the plate a little bit [without Justin Felix]. We’ll have to piece things together. We’re not going to be one of these groups that can just hang your hat on one player. We have to work together, on offensive situations, to see what we can do.”
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Today Illinois State 6 p.m. Saturday Illinois State 2 p.m. Sunday Illinois State 1 p.m. Tuesday SE Missouri St. 4 p.m. Feb. 23 Ala.-Birmingham 6 p.m. Feb. 24 Ala.-Birmingham 2 p.m. Feb. 25 Ala.-Birmingham 1 p.m. Feb. 27 Miss. Valley St. 6 p.m. Feb. 28 Miss. Valley St. 4 p.m. March 2 at New Orleans 6:30 p.m. March 3 at New Orleans 2 p.m. March 4 at New Orleans 1 p.m. March 9 at Missouri St. 3 p.m. March 10 at Missouri St. 2 p.m. March 11 at Missouri St. 1 p.m. March 13 So. Illinois 6 p.m. March 16 Coastal Carolina 6:30 p.m. March 17 Coastal Carolina 6:30 p.m. March 18 Coastal Carolina 1 p.m. March 20 at Missouri 6:30 p.m. March 21 at Missouri 4 p.m. March 23 at La.-Monroe 6 p.m. March 24 at La.-Monroe 2 p.m. March 25 at La.-Monroe 1 p.m. March 27 at So. Illinois 5 p.m. March 29 La.-Lafayette 6:30 p.m. March 30 La.-Lafayette 6:30 p.m. March 31 La.-Lafayette 1 p.m. April 3 at SE Missouri St. 6 p.m. April 6 at Georgia State 5 p.m.
DATE OPPONENT TIME
April 7 at Georgia State 1 p.m. April 8 at Georgia State noon April 10 at Memphis 6:30 p.m. April 11 Memphis 6:30 p.m. April 13 at Tex.-Arlington 6:30 p.m. April 14 at Tex.-Arlington 2 p.m. April 15 at Tex.-Arlington 1 p.m. April 18 at Ole Miss 6:30 p.m. April 20 Troy 6:30 p.m. April 21 Troy 6:30 p.m. April 22 Troy 1 p.m. April 24 Central Ark. 6:30 p.m. April 27 at South Ala. 6:30 p.m. April 28 at South Ala. 6:30 p.m. April 29 at South Ala. 1 p.m. May 4 Texas State 6:30 p.m. May 5 Texas State 6:30 p.m. May 6 Texas State 1 p.m. May 8 at Central Ark. 6 p.m. May 11 Ga. Southern 6:30 p.m. May 12 Ga. Southern 6:30 p.m. May 13 Ga. Southern noon May 15 Ole Miss 6:30 p.m. May 17 at UALR 6 p.m. May 18 at UALR 2 p.m. May 19 at UALR 1 p.m. May 22-27 Sun Belt Tournament, Lafayette, La.
*Sun Belt Conference game
Central Arkansas
COACH Allen Gum (215-180 in seventh season at Central Arkansas, 441-248 in 12th season overall)
2017 RECORD 34-26, 16-13 Southland Conference
SEASON OPENER Northern Illinois, 6 p.m. today
PROJECTION Fourth, Southland
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS 1B Hunter Strong, OF Keaton Presley (second team), RHP Tyler Gray (second team)
TOP NEWCOMERS INF Tyler Smith, INF Jay Anderson, LHP Beaux Bonvilliain
SCOUTING REPORT UCA returns many of its top contributors from a team that lost in the Southland Conference championship game last season. The Bears have been in the Southland championship game three out of the past five years, and Coach Allen Gum said one of the things that must improve is its relief pitching. UCA lost RHP Brandon Hagerla (9-3, 2.84 ERA) to expired eligibility, and his 76 innings pitched were more than three regular starters. The Bears’ 4.78 ERA ranked eighth in the Southland. Starting RHP Tyler Gray will start today against Northern Illinois, and he returned to the team after the Minnesota Twins selected him in the 20th round of the MLB Draft in June. Four out of the five top RBI contributors from last season return, including senior outfielder Keaton Presley (.284, 55 RBI) and junior first baseman Hunter Strong (.351, 47), who was named first-team All-Southland in 2017. Gum said that Alvin (Texas) Community College transfer Tyler Smith will start at first base. Smith batted .275 with 15 RBI and 3 home runs at Alvin last season. Blinn (Texas) College transfer Jay Anderson will play infield and batted .363 with 6 home runs and 21 RBI last season.
QUOTING ALLEN GUM “We always have high expectations, and it starts with winning the conference championship, getting to the [NCAA] Tournament. … That’s the main goal. As long as they’re maintaining their fullest potential as a team, we feel like we’ve fulfilled our expectation.”
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Today Northern Illinois 3 p.m. Saturday Northern Illinois 1 p.m. Sunday Northern Illinois 1 p.m. Tuesday UALR 4 p.m. Feb. 23 Missouri State 3 p.m. Feb. 24 Missouri State 1 p.m. Feb. 25 Missouri State 1 p.m. March 2 Creighton 4 p.m. March 3 Creighton noon March 4 Creighton 1 p.m. March 6 Miss. Valley St. 7 p.m. March 7 Miss. Valley St. 3 p.m. March 9 at McNeese State TBA March 10 at McNeese State TBA March 11 at McNeese State TBA March 13 SE Missouri St. 6 p.m. March 14 SE Missouri St. 3 p.m. March 16 Incarnate Word 6 p.m. March 17 Incarnate Word 4 p.m. March 18 Incarnate Word 1 p.m. March 20 Oklahoma State 6 p.m. March 23 at New Orleans TBA March 24 at New Orleans TBA March 25 at New Orleans* TBA March 27 Wichita State 6 p.m. March 28 Ark.-Pine Bluff 6 p.m. March 29 NW (La.) State 6 p.m. March 30 NW (La.) State 6 p.m. March 31 NW (La.) State 1 p.m. April 3 at UALR 6 p.m.
DATE OPPONENT TIME
April 6 Houston Baptist 6 p.m. April 7 Houston Baptist 4 p.m. April 8 Houston Baptist 1 p.m. April 10 at Ark.-Pine Bluff 3 p.m. April 13 Tenn.-Martin 6 p.m. April 14 Tenn.-Martin 4 p.m. April 15 Tenn.-Martin 1 p.m. April 17 at Wichita State 6 p.m. April 20 at Sam Hou. St. 6 p.m. April 21 at Sam Hou. St. 4 p.m. April 22 at Sam Hou. St. 1 p.m. April 24 at Ark. State 6:30 p.m. April 27 Texas A&M-CC 6 p.m. April 28 Texas A&M-CC 4 p.m. April 29 Texas A&M-CC 1 p.m. May 4 at Ab. Christian 6 p.m. May 5 at Ab. Christian 2 p.m. May 6 at Ab. Christian 1 p.m. May 8 Arkansas State 6 p.m. May 11 SE Louisiana 6 p.m. May 12 SE Louisiana 4 p.m. May 13 SE Louisiana 1 p.m. May 15 UALR^ 6 p.m. May 17 at Nicholls State 6 p.m. May 18 at Nicholls State 6 p.m. May 19 at Nicholls State 1 p.m. May 23-26 Southland Tournament, Sugar Land, Texas
*Southland Conference game
^Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
COACH Carlos James (123-204-1 in seventh season at UAPB, 151-282-2 in 10th season overall)
2017 RECORD 15-31, 10-14 Southwestern Athletic Conference SEASON OPENER Alcorn State, noon today
PROJECTION Fourth, SWAC West
ALL-CONFERENCE PICKS None
TOP NEWCOMERS INF Nick Kreutzer, INF Ryan Mallison, SS Jarficur Parker,
SCOUTING REPORT UAPB won the SWAC West Division in three consecutive seasons before it was picked to win it last season, and the Golden Lions finished last and missed the conference tournament. Coach Carlos James joked that now that his team is predicted to finish fourth in the West, it can return to the top. UAPB returns top RBI contributor Sergio Esparaza (.304, 28 RBI), who James said will bat leadoff and play in the outfield. James said he’d be testing out two starting lineups during this weekend’s Andre Dawson Classic: a more “National League,” small-ball group in the first game, and a more “American League,” power group in the second. He plans to mesh the emerging talent from both groups into a starting nine by SWAC play. Arkansas Baptist transfer Ryan Mallison will play infield, and he was named to the NJCAA Gold Glove Team in 2017 after batting .389 with 28 RBI and 3 home runs. James said freshman shortstop Jarficur Parker “is gonna be special.” Parker batted .311 with 14 RBI and a home run at Plano (Texas) West High School. LHP Payton Burks, RHP Tyrus Lopez and LHP Thomas Sanchez will be the weekend starters of an “old, experienced” pitching rotation, which was fourth in the SWAC in team ERA (6.24) last season.
QUOTING CARLOS JAMES “Hopefully we can get our [winning] culture back. … I think we’re a better team up and down the lineup. We did lose some guys, but we replaced them very well, and we should be a lot better swinging the bat.”
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Today Alcorn State^ noon Saturday Grambling St.^ 6:30 p.m. Sunday Alabama State^ noon Tuesday at Kansas 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at Kansas 1 p.m. Feb. 23 Tenn.-Martin 1 p.m. Feb. 24 Tenn.-Martin 1 p.m. Feb. 25 Tenn.-Martin 1 p.m. Feb. 27 at Georgia Tech 4 p.m. Feb. 28 at Tennessee 3:30 p.m. March 2 Southern 1 p.m. March 3 Southern 1 p.m. March 4 Southern 1 p.m. March 6 Creighton 1 p.m. March 9 Grambling St. 3 p.m. March 10 Grambling St. 2 p.m. March 11 Grambling St. 1 p.m. March 16 Valparaiso 3 p.m. March 17 Valparaiso (DH) noon March 20 at TCU 6:30 p.m. March 23 at Texas Southern TBA March 24 at Texas Southern TBA March 25 at Texas Southern TBA March 28 at Central Ark. 6 p.m. March 30 Prairie View 3 p.m. March 31 Prairie View 2 p.m. April 1 Prairie View 1 p.m. April 2 at Lemoyne-Owen 7 p.m. April 4 at Nicholls State 6 p.m. April 6 at Southern* 6 p.m.
DATE OPPONENT TIME
April 7 at Southern 2 p.m. April 8 at Southern 1 p.m. April 10 Central Ark.3 p.m.
April 13 at Grambling St. 6 p.m. April 14 at Grambling St. 3 p.m. April 15 at Grambling S. 1 p.m. April 17 at S.F. Austin 6:30 p.m. April 18 at Baylor 6:35 p.m. April 20 Panhandle State 3 p.m. April 21 Panhandle State 2 p.m. April 22 Panhandle State 1 p.m. April 24 UALR 3 p.m. April 27 Texas Southern 3 p.m. April 28 Texas Southern 2 p.m. April 29 Texas Southern 1 p.m. May 2 at Ole Miss TBA May 4 at Prairie View 3 p.m. May 5 at Prairie View 2 p.m. May 6 at Prairie View* 1 p.m. May 8 at UALR 6 p.m. May 16-20 SWAC Tournament, New Orleans
*Southwestern Athletic Conference game
^Andre Dawson Classic, New Orleans