Baseball | 4/9/2015 8:46:00 PM

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State travels out of state for the first time in nine games to face the UALR Trojans in a Sun Belt Conference series over the weekend. Continue to follow www.txstatebobcats.com throughout the weekend for updates on the series in case times change due to inclement weather.
 
Series Info: Texas State (16-15-1, 8-4 SBC) at UALR (11-18, 8-6 SBC)
Site: Gary Hogan Field – Little Rock, Ark.
Dates: Friday, April 10 – Sunday, April 12
Times: Friday – 6 p.m. | Saturday – 2 p.m. | Sunday – 1 p.m.
 
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: #21 RHP Lucas Humpal (4-2, 5.20 ERA) vs. #18 LHP Jarrid Garcia (0-1, 3.00 ERA)
Saturday: #36 RHP Scott Grist (2-2, 2.78 ERA) vs. #10 RHP Cory Malcom (3-2, 3.58 ERA)
Sunday: #27 RHP Jeremy Hallonquist (3-0, 2.16 ERA) vs. #20 RHP Sam Thoele (2-3, 4.80 ERA)
 
The Series
Texas State and UALR met for the first time last season when the Bobcats hosted the Trojans in San Marcos. The Trojans were able to win the series against Texas State, taking two of three. The Bobcats were able to hold UALR to just eight runs across the three games, giving up three in the first and third games and just two in the second game.
 
The bats for Texas State were the problem in last year's series. In the two losses, the Bobcats only scored two combined runs. In the Saturday game, Texas State won, 6-2, scoring five runs in the first two innings.
 
A bases-loaded walk from Colby Targun scored the first run of the game, and another walk by Tyler Pearson scored the next run to give Texas State a 2-0 lead at the end of the first. In the second inning, Granger Studdard knocked a two-RBI double and Austin O'Neal plated Studdard soon after to give the Bobcats a 5-0 head start. They were able to close it out.
 
On the Trojans
While UALR is just 11-18 on the season, the Trojans have equaled Texas State's win total in Sun Belt Conference action as they both have eight wins. The Trojans have dropped five of the team's last six games. However, they have proven to be tough at home during conference play. The Trojans are 5-0 at home against Sun Belt opponents under first year head coach Chris Curry.
 
Ryan Scott leads the squad from the plate with a .389 batting average that has led to a team-high 42 hits. He leads the team in runs scored with 21 and has knocked 14 doubles on the year. No other Trojan has more than six.
 
Tanner Rockwell has been solid for the squad, hitting .343 with the team lead in RBI at 24, eight more than any of his teammates. Two other Trojans have struck 20 hits or more in Kyle Kirk (28 hits, .295) and Petr Sila (24 hits, .255).
 
Opponents have scored 99 more runs than UALR and knocked in 92 more RBI. This season, opponents are hitting .308 against the Trojans. The three starters Texas State will face, however, have been solid. Only Sunday's pitcher, Sam Thoele, has an ERA above 3.58.
 
On the Bobcats
Meanwhile, Texas State has won the team's last four games coming into the weekend and seven of the last 10. The Bobcats haven't been weak on the road either this season, standing at 7-6, just above .500, on the road this year.
 
Scott Grist is coming off a two-hit complete-game shutout that earned him a Pitcher of the Week nod from the Sun Belt Conference. After his performance last Friday, Jeremy Hallonquist threw a complete game in another victory for the Bobcats on Saturday to complete a sweep of Baylor, Texas State's first ever three-game weekend series sweep over a Big 12 opponent.
 
Granger Studdard leads the squad in batting average, but has been on fire since March 14, Texas State's second game against Appalachian State. In that stretch, he has hit .349 with team highs in hits (22), doubles, triples, home runs (7) and RBI (15). He is slugging .778.
 
Two other Bobcats who are hot are Tanner Hill and Jared Huber. Hill is hitting .429 over the last four games while Huber has knocked six RBI in the stretch.
 
A Look Ahead
Next up for Texas State, the Bobcats will host UTSA for the third meeting of the season in the I-35 Rivalry. After that, Texas State welcomes UL Lafayette to San Marcos for a weekend series.