Games 1-3
ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES
at the Lamar Classic
February 17-19, 2012 4:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Vincent-Beck Stadium (3,500) Beaumont, Texas
Radio: KNEA 970 AM & AStateRedWolves.com
LiveStats at AStateRedWolves.com
LEADING OFF: The 64th season of Arkansas State University baseball gets underway this weekend when the Red Wolves travel to Beaumont, Texas for the three-game Lamar Classic. Arkansas State will open the season Friday at 4:00 p.m. against Lamar. The Red Wolves will face SFA Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ASU and Lamar will square off again Sunday at 2:30 p.m. to close out the Classic. Portland is also participating in the Classic, but will not play ASU. Due to inclement weather in the Beaumont, Texas area, the opening weekend baseball at the Lamar Classic was changed from what was originally announced. Originally, the Red Wolves were to have opened against Stephen F. Austin Friday at 2:30, then play a doubleheader against SFA and Lamar Saturday, before closing out the tournament Sunday against Lamar. As a result of the changes, the weekend schedule has now been reduced from four games to three. Following the weekend's action, the Red Wolves will travel to Ole Miss Feb. 21 before returning to Jonesboro for the Feb. 22 home opener against Murray State. First pitch for Wednesday's ASU-MSU game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field. All ASU baseball games may be heard on KNEA 970 AM and through the StateZone portion of AStateRedWolves.com. LiveStats may also be accessed by logging on to AStateRedWolves.com.
THE TEAMS: Friday's game will be the season opener for both teams. Arkansas State finished the 2011 campaign with a record of 27-31-1, including a 13-16-1 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. Arkansas State posted a record of 19-13 at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field in 2011. Stephen F. Austin finished the 2011 season at 37-23 and Lamar closed out the year with a final record of 29-27.
THE SFA and LAMAR SERIES: Arkansas State leads the series with SFA 1-0, with the only game being played in 1983. The Red Wolves trail Lamar in the overall series with the Cardinals 32-56, and the two teams have not met since the 2008 season.
ASU IN SEASON OPENERS: The Red Wolves are 32-31 all-time on opening day. Arkansas State dropped its season opener a year ago, falling 12-5 on the road at #23 Auburn. The Red Wolves are 2-1 in season openers under head coach Tommy Raffo, defeating Texas State 4-3 in 2009 and Southern Illinois 14-5 in 2010. The Red Wolves will open the 2012 season on a two-game win streak after defeating Louisiana-Lafayette and South Alabama in the final two games of pool play at the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
ON THE MOUND FOR ASU: Senior right-hander Jacob Lee will get the start on the mound when the Red Wolves open the season Friday against Lamar. Named as the preseason SBC Pitcher of the Year prior to the 2011 season, Lee made 15 appearances on the mound a year ago, drawing 14 starts. Lee worked a team-high 91.1 innings a year ago, with a team-low 3.25 ERA. He earned a save in his only relief appearance and was second on the team with 69 strikeouts. Junior right-hander Daniel Wright will get the call against SFA Saturday. Wright went 1-5 a year ago with an ERA of 5.12. He made 23 appearances on the mound, with 20 being in relief. Wright earned two saves and struck out 31 batters on the year. Sophomore Bradley Wallace will be on the mound when the Red Wolves face Lamar Sunday afternoon. Wallace made 15 appearances as a freshman, drawing one start. Wallace struck out 22 batters in 18.2 innings of work and finished the season with an ERA of 6.75 and a pair of saves.
LEE ON PACE: Senior right-hander Jacob Lee enters the season on pace to become the Red Wolves' career strikeout leader. With 194 strikeouts in his career, the 2011 preseason SBC Pitcher of the Year needs 58 strikeouts to break the 40-plus year-old record of 251 set by Rusty Bourg in 1967-70.
SUCCESS UNDER RAFFO: Arkansas State has won two games at the Sun Belt Conference tournament each of the past two seasons under fourth-year head coach Tommy Raffo. Prior to Raffo's coming to Jonesboro, Arkansas State had not won a game at the SBC Tournament since the 1997 season. The Red Wolves advanced to the tournament semifinals in 2010 and went 2-1 in pool play a year ago - with the only setback being a 13-inning loss to eventual runner-up Florida International.
EXPERIENCE RETURNING: Six starting position players return from the 2011team that finished 27-31-1 and won two games at the SBC Tournament, including starting pitcher Jacob Lee, and outfielders Ryan Emery, Michael Faulkner and Logan Uxa. Lee was the preseason 2011 SBC Pitcher of the Year and finished the season with a team-low 3.25 ERA and a 5-4 record, while Emery finished second on the team with a .314 batting average.
