Games 17-19
ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES (8-8)
vs. UALR Trojans (13-5)
March 16-18, 2012 6:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. & 1:00 p.m.
Tomlinson Stadium & Kell Field (1,200) Jonesboro, Arkansas
Radio: KNEA 970 AM & AStateRedWolves.com
LiveStats at AStateRedWolves.com
LEADING OFF: The Arkansas State Red Wolves (8-8) will open Sun Belt Conference play this weekend when they host in-state rival UALR (13-5) in a three-game series at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field. The Red Wolves and Trojans will get the series started Friday at 6:00 p.m. Saturday's game is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., and the series will wrap up Sunday at 1:00 p.m. 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: The Red Wolves will be looking to build on their 7-3 home record and halt a two-game slide when ASU takes the field Friday night. After defeating Dayton 9-3 in the first game of last weekend's Austin Peay Riverview Inn Challenge, the Red Wolves suffered a pair of one-run losses to close out the weekend. Arkansas State had the tying run at third and the winning run at second in the ninth inning, but came up short in a 6-5 loss to Northern Illinois, then battled back from a 9-3 deficit to tie Austin Peay 9-9 in the ninth, only to fall 10-9 in 11 innings. A winner in eight of its last 10 games, UALR will visit Jonesboro with the league's best record (13-5, .722) heading into the first weekend of conference play. The Trojans scored at least 10 runs in each of their eight victories over the 10-game span and are led by senior outfielder Sean Bignall, who is batting .444 and leads the nation in home runs (9), RBIs per game (2.06), RBIs (33), slugging percentage (1.016) and total bases (64). Leading up to this weekend's action, the Trojans earned a 2-1 series victory at home over Wisconsin Milwaukee last weekend, and split a two-game midweek series at SEMO in midweek play. UALR defeated UW-Milwaukee 12-5 in game one and 10-3 in game two before dropping the series finale, 10-5 in 10 innings. The Trojans were defeated 10-7 at SEMO Tuesday night, but bounced back in Wednesday's game two to defeat the Redhawks 16-2.
ASU AGAINST THE FIELD: Arkansas State leads the all-time series with UALR 56-39. The two teams played six times a year ago, with ASU posting a 4-2 record against the Trojans on the year. In the first three-game series between the two teams, ASU won the series opener 11-5 in Little Rock before UALR tied the series with a 1-0 win in game two. The Trojans took the series with a 7-6 win in game three. When the two teams closed out the regular season in Jonesboro, Arkansas State swept the Trojans 6-4, 6-4 and 9-1.
FAULKNER LEADS THE NATION: With 16 stolen bases in 14 games played, ASU junior Michael Faulkner leads the nation in total stolen bases and stolen bases per game at 1.14. Faulkner has not been caught stealing on the year and last week was a perfect 9-of-9. His 16 stolen bases have also helped him score a team-high 17 runs, good enough to rank 29th nationally.
ON THE MOUND FOR ASU: Senior right-hander Jacob Lee will get the start on the mound when the series opens Friday night, making his fifth start of the season. Lee has worked 22 innings on the year, striking out 23 batters. He has given up nine runs (eight earned) on 24 hits, eight five batters and has an ERA of 3.27. Junior right-hander Daniel Wright will get the start on the mound in Saturday's game two. Wright has made five appearances on the season, starting in four games. Wright has given up 19 runs (11 earned) in 23.1 innings of work. He has 17 strikeouts to his credit, has walked seven batters and given up 30 hits. Wright's ERA stands at 4.24 heading into the weekend. Arkansas State's starter for Sunday's finale has not been determined.
TRIO NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT: Juniors Michael Faulkner, Ryan Roberts and Logan Uxa were all named to the Austin Peay Riverview Inn All-Tournament team for their performances at the classic March 9-11. Faulkner hit .592 with a triple, Uxa hit .416 with a two doubles and a home run and Roberts hit .428 and from his catcher position threw out two baserunners trying to steal.
EXTRA INNINGS: Arkansas State's 11-inning game March 11 against Austin Peay was the Red Wolves' first extra-inning game of the season. The game lasted 4:35 and saw the Red Wolves battle back from a 9-3 deficit after five innings. Arkansas State tied the game in the ninth on an RBI single from first baseman Michael George before falling 10-9 in the 11th to the Governors.
LEE ON PACE: Senior right-hander Jacob Lee is on pace to become the Red Wolves' career strikeout leader. With 217 strikeouts in his career, the 2011 preseason SBC Pitcher of the Year needs 35 strikeouts to break the 40-plus year-old record of 251 set by Rusty Bourg in 1967-70.
BIG WEEK FOR FAULKNER: Junior Michael Faulkner was outstanding for ASU in its five games during the week of March 6-11. Faulkner hit .417 and was a perfect 9-for-9 on stolen base attempts. Faulkner went 10-for-24 at the plate with a triple, 7 runs scored and a pair of RBIs. He posted a slugging percentage of .500, drew three walks and was hit by a pitch, for an on-base percentage of .500 as well. He was named to the Austin Peay Riverview Inn All-Tournament team after hitting .592 with a triple and stealing six bases in the tournament.
OFFENSE COMES ALIVE: The Arkansas State offense exploded for 37 runs in the Red Wolves' three-game sweep over South Dakota State March 2-4, blasting 40 hits along the way. The Red Wolves slugged eight doubles, two triples and two home runs in the three games against the Jackrabbits and posted a team batting average of .354. ASU's 37 runs in the series was the most since the Red Wolves scored 38 against New Orleans in 2010.
SLOW START, BIG FINISH: Heading into this weekend's action, the Red Wolves are being outscored 22-11 in the first two innings combined, but are making up for it in the late innings, outscoring their opponents 22-6 in the eighth inning and 4-1 in the ninth. Arkansas State has yet to lose a game when leading after six innings, posting a 7-0 record when leading after six and a 8-0 mark when ahead after eight.
STREAKING: Michael Faulkner has reached base successfully in the last 23 games in which he has played. Faulkner has reached base in all 14 games he has played in this year, and in the last nine of the 2011 season...freshman outfielder Collin Massarelli has a team-best five game hit streak heading into this weekend's action.
BEST IN THE BELT: Heading into this weekend's action, ASU's Michael Faulkner is the Sun Belt Conference leader with 16 stolen bases, and is the only player in the league with more than10 stolen bases who has not been caught stealing. Faulkner's 16 stolen bases are good enough to rank first nationally and his average of 1.14 stolen bases per game also ranks first in the nation. Faulkner is also third with 17 runs scored....Zach George is second in the league lead with two triples....John Koch is tied for the league lead with three saves on the season and is the league-leader with eight games finished...Logan Uxa is fifth in slugging percentage at .556, tied for second with six doubles and seventh with 13 walks...Alex Potts is fifth with 14 walks...Ryan Emery is eighth in the league with 14 RBIs...Kaleb Brown leads the SBC with five sacrifice bunts and Zach Maggio is second with four...Jacob Lee is sixth with 23 strikeouts and sixth with eight strikeouts looking.
KYLE SHUTS DOWN JACKRABBITS: With a 30 mph wind blowing out that had already played a part in five runs through the first four innings for South Dakota State, senior reliever Cory Kyle went to the mound and shut down the Jackrabbits through the final five innings, striking out six in ASU's 15-5 win March 2. Kyle picked up the win after holding the Jackrabbits to just one hit after SDSU had belted out eight in the first four frames. Kyle allowed just two baserunners in the final five innings, walking one and giving up one single.
EMERY COMES THROUGH: Junior outfielder/designated hitter Ryan Emery led the ASU batting attack during the week of Feb. 20-26, hitting .467 with two game-winning RBI hits to help the Red Wolves to a 4-2 record. With the Red Wolves trailing 4-3 in the eighth inning of game two against Evansville, Emery hit a two-run single to erase the deficit and send home the winning run in ASU's 5-4 win. He came up big again in the Sunday finale, delivering an RBI single up the middle in the eighth that again proved to be the winning run in a 3-2 victory for the Red Wolves. For the week, Emery went 7-for-15 with four RBIs, a run scored, a walk and a sacrifice.
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL HOME DEBUT: With their 11-3 victory over Murray State Feb. 22, Red Wolves extended their winning streak in home openers to 22 games, a run that dates back to the 1991 season.
4-K INNING FOR FARLEY: Arkansas State senior right-hander Brandon Farley notched a rare four-strikeout inning in the Red Wolves' 11-3 victory over Murray State Feb. 22. After Murray State's Ty Stetson reached on a dropped third strike to lead off the seventh inning, Farley proceeded to mow down the next three batters to close out the frame with four strikeouts. Farley faced seven batters on the afternoon, striking out five without giving up a hit or issuing a walk.
FIRST WIN FOR SHORDON: True freshman Levi Shordon made the most of his first career start against Murray State Feb. 22, picking up the win in ASU's 11-3 victory. In four innings of work, the lefty from Simi Valley, Calif. gave up just three hits and one run, while striking out one. Shordon gave up the run in the first, then settled in and pitched three and one-thirds innings of shutout baseball to earn his first win.
CAREER HIGH FOR FAULKNER: Arkansas State junior Michael Faulkner drove in a career-high four runs in the Red Wolves' 11-3 victory over Murray State Feb. 22. Faulkner's previous career high was three runs, set in 2001 against Memphis and again against Louisiana-Lafayette.
MOTHER NATURE UNKIND: The Red Wolves came up on the short end of a 2-1 score against Lamar in the season opener, with both the Cardinals and Mother Nature playing a role in the loss. Trailing 2-1 in the top of the ninth, Arkansas State was poised to tie the game or take the lead when the game was called due to weather. The Red Wolves had runners at first and second with just one out when heavy rainfall forced officials to call the game, giving Lamar the win.
STRONG DEBUT FOR LEE: Arkansas State senior Jacob Lee was outstanding in the season opener for the Red Wolves, striking out five batters in six shutout innings of work on the road at Lamar. Lee walked just one batter and surrendered just five hits – all singles.
FIRST HOME RUN: Arkansas State sophomore Claude Johnson slugged his first career home run during the Red Wolves' opening weekend at Lamar. Johnson went 1-for-2 in Sunday's finale to notch the home run. As a freshman last year, Johnson hit .220, going 11-for-50 with three doubles and two RBIs.
NEWCOMERS SHINE: Newcomers Stuart Levy and Drew Burks both enjoyed solid outings in their first two games as Red Wolves during opening weekend, each hitting .333 in a pair of games against Lamar. Burks, a junior transfer from Coffeyville CC, started at DH and went 2-for-6 with a double and a walk to post an on-base percentage of .429. Levy, a true freshman from Little Rock, drew one start at catcher and went 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch to record an on-base percentage of .500.
ASU IN SEASON OPENERS: The Red Wolves are 32-32 all-time on opening day. Arkansas State dropped its season opener Feb. 17, falling 2-1 on the road at Lamar. The Red Wolves are 2-2 in season openers under head coach Tommy Raffo, defeating Texas State 4-3 in 2009 and Southern Illinois 14-5 in 2010.
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.
