ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington baseball team (21-19, 11-7 WAC) returns home to take on UT Rio Grande Valley (23-16, 9-9 WAC) in a three-game WAC series showdown set to begin Friday, April 28, at 12:00 p.m. at Clay Gould Ballpark.
 
The game was originally scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start time, but due to projected inclement weather in the forecast, the game was moved up to a noon start time.
 
UTA NOTES

• UTA is back in the top 100 in the national RPI rankings, clocking in at 92 in the most updated rankings. This puts the Mavericks ahead of the top two teams in the current WAC standings (Sam Houston at 122 & Grand Canyon at 113).
• Currently sit in third in the most recent WAC standings.
• UTA is hitting their stride, holding a 7-3 record in their last 10 games and a 13-7 record in their last 20 games with a season-high five game win-streak mixed in there. The Mavs have a 7-5 record at home.
• The Mavs are tied for 25th in the NCAA and first in the WAC in doubles with 91 on the year while ranked 29th in the country and first in the conference in doubles per game with 2.28 per game. 
• As a team, the Mavs are hitting .292 on the season, 70th best in the NCAA and fifth in the WAC. Have smacked 411 hits on the year, ranked 50th in the nation and third in the conference. 
• Tyson Pointer has been one of the more consistent bats in the lineup, hitting .308 on the year to go along with 15 doubles, eight home runs and 40 RBIs on the season. 
• Freshman Ryan Black continues to impress as one of the top freshmen in the WAC, leading the Mavs with a .365 batting average with 58 hits in 159 at-bats on the year. He has 11 doubles, six home runs and 43 RBIs on the season.
• Gabe Starks stands as one of the best starters in the WAC, sporting a 4.65 ERA, tops on the team among qualified starters while punching out 56 batters and holding opponents to a .219 average. Starks has started 10 games on the mound for the Mavs, tops in the conference and 23rd in the NCAA. Holds a perfect 4-0 record for the year.
• Garrison Berkley has reached base safely in 28 straight games, tops on the team. Second on the team with a .360 average with 59 hits in 164 at-bats, hitting 15 doubles, one triple, three home runs and driving in 28 runs on the season. 
• Wilson Galvan currently is riding a seven-game hitting streak. He is coming off a week in which he hit .563 in four games to bring his season average above the 300 threshold with a .315 average. 
• The Mavs have blasted 45 home runs on the year, fourth best in the conference. Ben Lumsden leads the Mavs with nine on the year while Pointer stands at eight for the season.
• UTA is the third most hit team in the WAC and 118th in the NCAA, getting plunked 50 times. Galvan leads the team and has been hit 11 times this season.
• The Mavs are the third most walked team in the WAC, drawing 182 walks on the season.
• UTA has yet to be shut out on the season.

 
UTRGV NOTES

• Come into the series holding a 5-4 record on the road. 6-4 in their last 10 games.
• Currently hold a 9-9 conference record and sit in seventh in the current WAC standings.
• Have four players sporting a batting average over the .300 plateau. Brandon Pimentel holds a .378, 85th best in the NCAA. Roberto Gonzalez sports a .335 average, while Isaac Lopez boasts a .327 average and Steven Lancia has a .325 average.
• Colten Davis has started 10 games on the mound for the Vaqueros, holding a 3.86 ERA and a 3-2 record.
• Hitting .295 with a .451 slugging percentage on the season as a team.
• UTRGV have posted three shutouts so far this season, that has them ranked 30th in the NCAA and tops in the WAC.

 
SERIES HISTORY
In a series dating back to 1974, UTRGV holds a 25-20 record over UTA. In their last 10 matchups, the Mavs are 7-3 versus the Vaqueros. The Mavs have won the last six match ups between the two teams. The two programs have not played one another since 2009.
 
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