ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington baseball team (17-16, 7-5 WAC) travels out west to battle Sacramento State (17-16, 5-7 WAC) for a three-game WAC series at John Smith Field. The series opens on Friday, April 14, at 8 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, April 15. The series concludes on Sunday, April 16, scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
 
You can watch the game via ESPN+ and follow along with live stats by following the accompanying links in this release. 
 
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday, April 14 (Game 1) – RHP Jasper Nelson (2-2, 3.38 ERA) vs. RHP Gabe Starks (3-0, 3.10 ERA)
Saturday, April 15 (Game 2) – LHP Noah Lucchesi (3-3, 4.41 ERA) vs. RHP Connery Peters (1-3, 7.24 ERA)
Sunday, April 16 (Game 3) – RHP Evan Gibbons (1-4, 11.00 ERA) vs. TBA
 
UTA NOTES

• Come into the series carrying an 8-10 record on the road.
• Come into the game 115th in RPI, this is fourth best in the WAC, behind Abilene Christian (72), Sam Houston (96) and Stephen F. Austin (114). 
• The Mavericks are 15-1 when leading after 8 innings of play with Connery Peters being tied for 17th in the NCAA in saves with six and second in the WAC. Zach Norris and Gray Bailey each have two save on the year, bringing the total number of saves to 10 as a team.
• Gabe Starks carries a team-best 3.10 earned run average, sixth best in the WAC and 117th best in the NCAA.
• As a team, the Mavericks are tied for 14th in the NCAA and tops in the WAC in doubles with 77 on the year. Tyson Pointer leads the way with 13, which has him tied for 30th in the country and second in the conference. Garrison Berkley has 11 doubles on the season, tied for 85th in the NCAA and sits in fourth in the WAC.
• Gabe Starks and Caden Noah have started eight games on the mound for the Mavs, which has them sitting atop in the conference and tied for 14th in the nation in games started.
• UTA is 71st in the NCAA and fourth in the WAC in hits with 320. Garrison Berkley and Ryan Black lead the charge with 46 which has them tied for 86th in the nation and seventh in the WAC. Black leads the Mavs with a .368 batting average while Berkley boasts a .343 batting average. 
• Tyler Rice and Tyson Pointer each carry a three-game hitting streak while Sam Crowell carries a four-game hit streak into this weekend.
• The Mavericks are ranked 117th in the country and third in the WAC in home runs with 35 on the season. Ben Lumsden is at the helm for UTA with 7 on the season, with Cade Sumbler and Ryan Black coming in with six for the year.
• The Mavericks have yet to be shutout on the season.

 
SACRAMENTO STATE NOTES

• Sacramento State enters the weekend series having won four of its last six, claiming their first WAC series win after taking 2-of-3 from Utah Valley last week.
• As a team, the Hornets have hit 45 home runs on the year — ranking second in the Western Athletic Conference behind only California Baptist.
• Freshman Wehiwa Aloy has slugged a team-high nine home runs, which entered the week ranked tied for third in the WAC. Fellow freshman JP Smith has hit seven home runs on the season.
• Sacramento State's defense has turned 29 double plays this season, entering the week tied atop the WAC leader board with California Baptist while ranking No. 15 in the NCAA.
• As a team, the Hornets hold a .280 batting average for the year, while the pitching staff carries a 6.29 ERA.

 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the second series ever between the two programs, with the first series coming back in 2013 during UTA's first stint in the WAC. The Mavs lead the all-time series three games to none, sweeping the Hornets in their only series played.
 
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