Feb. 16, 2012

UTA/La. Tech Game Notes

2012 Media Guide

UT Arlington Baseball Series Preview

UT Arlington (0-0) at Louisiana Tech (0-0)

Saturday-Sunday (Feb. 17-19)

Ruston, LA. (J.C. Love Field)

Series: UTA leads 47-42

UTA Series Probable Starting Pitchers

Friday: John Beck, RHP (2011 Stats: 3-3, 4.04 ERA, 37 K, 17 BB, 18 games, 8 starts)

Saturday: Collin Reynolds, RHP (2011 Stats: 3-5, 5.26 ERA, 42 K, 24 BB, 18 games, 9 starts)

Sunday: TBA

Arlington, Texas -- The Mavericks take the diamond for the first time in 2012 on Friday afternoon, starting a three-game series against future WAC opponent Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.

Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at J.C. Love Field, with Saturday and Sunday afternoon games slated for a 1 p.m. start.

"We are excited to get going," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "I feel good about the arms we have back from last year. We expect a very tough weekend at La Tech. They will throw experienced arms against us. I know our guys can't wait to tee it up for real."

RIPE FOR THE PICKING

UT Arlington has been picked to finish eighth in the 12-team Southland Conference this year according to a preseason vote by the league's coaches. The Mavericks received 49 points in the poll, two behind seventh-place Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

TO BE THE BEST YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE BEST...

As has been tradition under head coach Darin Thomas, UTA once again features a tough schedule in which the team will play 10 games against national tournament teams from a year ago, starting at Texas on Feb. 21. The Mavs will also play two other Big 12 NCAA tournament teams with visits to Oklahoma (Feb. 28) and Texas A&M (April 10). The slate also includes two games against Dallas Baptist (at DBU on March 20; home on May 1), two against TCU (home on March 27; at TCU on April 11) and three against Texas State (home from March 9-11).

...AND BEAT THE BEST

In 2011, the Mavericks picked up five wins over nationally ranked teams and have now won 14 games versus top-25 teams during head coach Darin Thomas' four seasons. Last year's victims included: TCU, Texas State (twice) and Wichita State (twice).

YOUNG HORSES

Fifteen of the 35 players on the roster are either freshmen or sophomores and 27 of the 35 members of the UTA team have fewer than two years of Division I experience under their belts heading into the season.

FOUR WITH 45 OR MORE

UTA returns four players who started at least 45 games last year: Ryan Walker (56), Preston Beck (55), Jordan Vaughn (50) and Philip Incaviglia (46).

WALKER, TEXAS MAVERICK

Ryan Walker was named to the preseason first-team All-Southland Conference team at shortstop. Last year, Walker became the fourth UTA player ever to be named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team. He led team with 43 runs and 37 RBI, and ranked second in batting average (.322), hits (76), doubles (13), stolen bases (11) and on-base percentage (.387).

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP BRIEFS

Derek Miller (LF) - True freshman eyeing first collegiate start; played at Round Rock H.S.

Ryan Walker (SS) - Preseason first-team all-conference selection; returning Freshman All-American; led the team in runs (43) and RBI (37), while finishing second in batting average (.322)

Preston Beck (RF) - Batted .307, led the team with five home runs and finished third with 66 hits; was Freshman All-American in 2010

Michael Guerra (2B) - Had 10 multi-hit games last year, batted .266; led team in extra-base hits until an injury

Matt Shortall (DH) - Transfer from Tulane; batted .306 in 19 games as a freshman

Greg McCall (C) - Played 29 games, starting 23; 4 extra-base hits including a homer

Brandon Lawrence (CF) - Transfer from Blinn JC; third-team JC All-American in 2011

Jordan Vaughn (1B) - Batted .267 in 50 games in 2011; one of two 3-year lettermen on roster

Travis Sibley (3B) - True freshman; all-state player at Frisco H.S.

PROJECTED STARTERS NUGGETS

* Four of the nine projected starters would be making their UTA debuts (Derek Miller, Matt Shortall, Brandon Lawrence and Travis Sibley).

* Two of the starters have been named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans (Ryan Walker and Preston Beck) during their careers.