Cajuns Baseball Continues Conference Play At UALR

THE WEEKEND SERIES
Dates: Friday-Saturday, March 13-15, 2015
Location: Little Rock, Ark.
Site: Gary Hogan Field (1,000)
Times: 6:00 p.m. (Fri) | 2:00 p.m. (Sat) | 1:00 p.m. (Sun)
Opponent: UALR (4-8, 1-2 Sun Belt)
Radio: News Talk 96.5 KPEL-FM
Television: None
Live Stats/Video: www.UALRTrojans.com

STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: RHP Evan Guillory (UL) vs. RHP Cory Malcom (UALR)
Saturday: LHP Gunner Leger (UL) vs. LHP Jarrid Garcia (UALR)
Sunday: TBA (UL) vs. RHP Sam Thoele (UALR)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team is set to continue the conference slate this weekend as the Cajuns put their six-game win streak on the line at UALR in a three-game series at Gary Hogan Field.

The opening game of the series it scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. The two teams meet again on Saturday at 2 p.m. before closing out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

All three games can be heard live on News Talk 96.5 KPEL-FM with Dan McDonald making the call and Jeff Schneider adding color. Live stats and video are available on UALRTrojans.com.

The Ragin' Cajuns (10-5, 3-0 Sun Belt) picked up a series sweep of Troy the last time out. Louisiana had both of its mid-week contests postponed due to weather and will now play nine straight conference games including the Troy series.

Freshman right-hander Evan Guillory has earned the nod to start on Friday night for the fourth straight weekend. Guillory is 1-0 with a 5.03 ERA in 19.2 innings with 16 strikeouts.

Left-hander Gunner Leger has moved into the Saturday spot for the Cajuns after starting on Sunday the previous two weekends. The freshman is tied for the team-lead in wins with a 2-0 record. Leger boasts a 3.57 ERA in 22.2 innings and has struck out 22. The starter for the series finale has yet to be announced.

The Cajuns currently rank second in the Sun Belt with a .287 average led by catcher Nick Thurman who is hitting .426 with seven doubles, two triples, a home run and 10 RBI. Thurman is 37th in the nation in slugging at .723.

Junior All-American shortstop Blake Trahan picked up Sun Belt and LSWA Player of the Week honors after hitting .615 (8-for-13) with six doubles and a home run while driving in three. Trahan scored eight times on the week and slugged 1.308 with a .684 on base percentage.

Louisiana holds a 51-16 edge in the all-time series with UALR as all but three games have been played with head coach Tony Robichaux at the helm. The Cajuns are 25-11 in Little Rock and have won six of the last seven series at Gary Hogan Field.

The Trojans (4-8, 1-2 Sun Belt) come into the series having lost three straight contests. UALR won the opening game against South Alabama 4-3 last weekend but then dropped the next two 1-0 and 3-2. The Trojans fell to Wichita State 9-2 in a mid-week game on Wednesday night.

UALR ranks last in the Sun Belt in both batting average (.205) and ERA (6.58). The Trojans will start sophomore right-hander Cory Malcom on Friday night. Malcom is 2-1 with a team-best 1.80 ERA in 25 innings. Junior left-hander Jarrid Garcia will make only his second start of the season on Saturday against the Cajuns. Garcia has seen action in three games throwing a total of seven innings.

Right-hander Sam Thoele will close out the weekend for UALR on the mound. Thoele is 1-2 in four starts with a 4.95 ERA in 20 innings.

Offensively, Ryan Scott is the only Trojans hitter with an average above .300 through 12 games. Scott is hitting .425 with four doubles, a triple, home run and four RBI. Kyle Kirk has a team-best seven RBI with a .262 average.

Following the series with the Trojans, the Cajuns continue their seven-game road swing with a three-game series at Georgia State next weekend.

For updates and info on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow the team on twitter @CajunsBaseball or check RaginCajuns.com.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

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Players Mentioned

Evan Guillory

Gunner Leger

Nick Thurman

Blake Trahan