The Marshall University baseball team (15-12, 5-4 C-USA) heads south for a three-game series against the University of Texas at San Antonio (11-17, 2-7 C-USA) for its fourth conference series of the season.
Marshall is tied for fourth place in Conference USA.
The Herd enters the game after a loss to in-state rival West Virginia University in extra innings Tuesday.
Junior infielder Tommy Lane has hit eight home runs this season, which ranks 26th in the nation and second in the conference. Lane has a .324 batting average, 36 hits, 17 scored runs and 22 RBIs on the season as well.
Junior outfielder Corey Bird and senior infielder DJ Gee hold first and third place, respectively, in C-USA for most stolen stolen bases.
On the mound, junior Burris Warner is ranked 13th in the country and second in C-USA with seven recorded saves this season. Warner holds a 2.50 ERA with 18 innings pitched, the third lowest ERA on the team behind freshmen Patrick Murphy and senior Caleb Ross.
The Roadrunners enter Friday’s game looking to bounce back from a three-game losing streak after it dropped its last two games in a weekend series to Florida International University and a midweek game to Texas State University Tuesday.
UTSA sophomore outfielder Skyler Valentine, who has scored 23 runs and 18 RBIs this season, leads the team at the plate with a .327 batting average and 36 hits.
Junior infielder C.J. Pickering leads the Roadrunners in home runs with three.
While both teams are tied with a team batting average of .271, Marshall has held opponents to a .282 batting average compared to the Roadrunners’ .293.
Marshall also holds a lower team ERA than UTSA with 5.15 compared to the Roadrunners’ 6.29.
Gee said if the team is focused, it can easily walk away with three wins this weekend.
“We’re excited to head down to Texas and play them on their home field,” Gee said. “I think that as long as our minds are right and we go out there and play like we have been this season that we can walk away with a sweep this weekend.”
Marshall junior Leo Valenti said he thinks the team is on the right track even after its loss to West Virginia.
“It’s tough to lose to a team like that since it is a huge rivalry,”. Valenti said. “But I think everyone knows we should’ve won that game, and I know we have the confidence to come back and really have a great weekend down in Texas.”
The first of the three-game series begins 7 p.m. Friday at Roadrunner Field. The second game is set for 3 p.m. Saturday and the third for 12 p.m. Sunday.
Brittanie Fowler can be contacted at [email protected].