Southern Miss will finally hit the road for the first time this weekend and will compete in the Lake Area Classic, which will feature Valparaiso and McNeese State.
Southern Miss will finally hit the road for the first time this weekend and will compete in the Lake Area Classic, which will feature Valparaiso and McNeese State.
Southern Miss (6-2) will play both teams twice, starting on Friday at 2 p.m. against Valparaiso. The Golden Eagles will then play a doubleheader on Saturday, starting with Valparaiso at 1 p.m. and then following with its game against host team McNeese State. Southern Miss will round close the weekend out with McNeese State on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Looking at the strength of schedule, Southern Miss will start the weekend with a 59 rating percentage index. McNeese State, the reigning Southland Conference tournament champions, enters the weekend with a 5-3 record and a 253 RPI. Valparaiso features a 1-5 record with a 219 RPI.
Valparaiso has played a tough schedule to start the season. The Crusaders opened the season against an up-and-coming Western Kentucky with their lone win coming against the Hilltoppers in the 10th inning. After that, the Crusaders were swept by top-five ranked Louisville.
Valparaiso’s lineup has struck out 78 times and posts a .212 batting average. The Crusaders’ top-hitter is Riley Dent, who posts a .292 average with a home run.
Valparaiso’s pitching staff enters the weekend with a 5.94 earned run average.
The Crusaders’ Friday starter has been Easton Rhodehouse has struck out nine batters and walked two but posts an 8.10 earned run average. Rhodehouse has also had two make appearances out of the bullpen along with being a starter. Colin Fields, who posts a 4.82 ERA, has been the Saturday starter and on the season has thrown seven strikeouts while walking five batters. Sunday starter, Zach Fricke posts a 5.14 ERA and has struck out three batters while walking three. Valparaiso’s most successful arm is having been in the bullpen. Reliever Trent Turzenski who has pitched only 6.1 innings but has the best ERA on the staff with a 1.42.
McNeese State opened the season with a four-game sweep over Mississippi Valley State but followed with a midweek loss to Louisiana Tech. Last weekend, the Cowboys played in the Mardi Gras Tournament and opened with a win over Arkansas-Little Rock but suffered back-to-back losses to Nicholls.
The Cowboys’ lineup has hit .345 to start the year and has recorded 19 doubles, four triples and six home runs. Currently, McNeese State has two hitters hitting .500 or better with another hitting .419. The Cowboys’ top-hitters are Peyton Johnson and Brett Whelton, who post a .524 and .500 batting averages, respectfully.
McNeese State’s pitching staff has thrown a 2.58 ERA to start the year. Will Dion is the Cowboy’s ace as he posts a 1.50 ERA while striking out 21 batters and walking one. Brett Payne has thrown a 4.50 ERA while striking out eight and walking six. Lastly, Daniel Hecker has been the third regular starting pitcher. Hecker has a 9.64 ERA while striking out six and walking two. The Cowboys’ bullpen notably has five pitchers throwing lower than a 2.50 ERA with at least three innings logged.
