SAN MARCOS, Texas – This weekend sees 17th-ranked Texas State (29-9, 12-3 Sun Belt) host Little Rock (16-16, 6-8 Sun Belt) for a three-game series. It will be the finale time the teams meet in the regular season as Sun Belt Conference opponents with the Trojans joining the Ohio Valley Conference this July.
 
Friday's series opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch. Saturday is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. and is Bark in the Park Day. Fans that do bring their dogs should have a photo of their vaccination records to show at the gate. The series finale on Sunday is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
 
The games will be streamed on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman and Ty Harrington on the call. Fans can also listen to the action on KTSW 89.9 FM and live stats will be available.
 
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: TXST RHP Zeke Wood (3-1) vs. LR RHP Hayden Arnold (4-3)
Saturday: TXST RHP Levi Wells (4-1) vs. LR RHP Jacob Weatherley (1-0)
Sunday: TXST RHP Cameron Bush (1-1) vs. LR TBA
 
RANKED!
For the sixth consecutive week, Texas State is ranked in at least five of the major polls. The Bobcats are ninth in Collegiate Baseball, 17th in both D1Baseball and USA Today, 18th in NCBWA and 21st in Baseball America polls.
 
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Dalton Shuffield continues to pace the Bobcats offensively with a .369 average, 52 hits, 45 runs and 10 stolen bases. He shares the team lead of 11 doubles with Jose Gonzalez and three triples with Ben McClain. Justin Thompson enters hitting .357 with 37 runs scored and 28 RBI. John Wuthrich has hit a team-high nine homers. Daylan Pena has driven in a team best 33 runs and is joined by Gonzalez (32), Wuthrich (32) and Shuffield) with at least 30 RBI.
 
Taking the mound on Friday is Zeke Wood. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA while leading the conference with 64 strikeouts and a .138 opposing batting average. Levi Wells, who sports the second lowest ERA (2.52) in the league, is 4-1 with 47 strikeouts and gets the ball on Saturday. Cameron Bush (1-1, 6.18 ERA) will be making his fourth consecutive Sunday start.
 
Tristan Stivors retook the Sun Belt lead with eight saves earlier this week. The senior right-hander is 5-1 with a 1.67 ERA and has struck out 44 over 18 appearances. Also coming out of the bullpen 18 times has been Matthew Nicholas (1-0, 2.77 ERA). Triston Dixon comes in with a 6-0 mark, 2.37 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 38 innings spanning 17 games, 16 of which have been relief appearances.
 
ABOUT LITTLE ROCK
Little Rock comes in having lost four straight games after falling 10-0 at Louisiana Tech on Tuesday. Last weekend saw the Trojans drop two games to Arkansas State with the third game being canceled due to inclement weather in the area. On the road, LR has posted a 2-7 record with both wins coming at Troy.
 
Six players are hitting over .300 led by Canyon McWilliams at .368. He also leads the team with 46 hits and is tied for the most RBI (28) and triples (2) with Noah Dickerson and Tyler Williams, respectively. Dickerson comes in having hit 12 doubles and six homers. Swiping double-digit bases has been Eldridge Figueroa (13), Miguel Soto (11) and Williams (16).
 
Hayden Arnold is slated to begin on the rubber on Friday. He is 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 58.2 innings in nine starts. Jacob Weatherley gets the ball on Saturday while sporting a 1-0 mark, 5.31 ERA and 29 strikeouts. Sunday's starter is still to be determined.
 
Sawyer Smallwood sports a staff-low 2.20 ERA while leading the team with three saves. He is also 3-3 and has struck out 35 in 32.2 innings over 17 relief appearances. Earning two saves has been Joey Martin (3.60 ERA, 14 K) while Hoss Brewer (2-1, 5.05 ERA), Matthew Davis (0-4, 7.45 ERA) and Weatherley have a save apiece.
 
SERIES VS. TROJANS
Little Rock has a 16-7 lead in the all-time series and won five of the last six games. Last season saw the Trojans sweep the series that was played in the capital of Arkansas. Texas State's last win came in the series finale on May 12, 2019 by a 13-9 score on the road. The Bobcats are 2-7 all-time when hosting LR.
 
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