Trojans Welcome Delta Devils for Midweek Action

Game 8: Little Rock vs. Mississippi Valley State
March 2
Little Rock, Ark. • Gary Hogan Field
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LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock baseball (3-4) will compete in its first midweek game of the young 2016 season against Mississippi Valley State (2-6) on Wednesday at 3 p.m., at Gary Hogan Field.
 
FIRST PITCH

• Little Rock has the third-best fielding percentage in the nation at .992.
• The Trojans are 41-2 all-time against Mississippi Valley State.
• The Trojans last played the Delta Devils in 2008.
• The largest margin of victory came with a 30-1 win in the 2000 season opener.
• Little Rock's only losses to MVSU occurred in Itta Bena in 1990 and 2004.
• Matt McDowell will make his first start on the mound on Wednesday.
• Hayden Martin and Nik Gifford have reached base in all seven games.
• The Trojans are hitting .475 when leading off.
• Hayden Martin leads the Trojans with a .375 batting average.
• Ryan Scott has the third-most total bases in the Sun Belt with 19 and the fourth-best slugging percentage at .704.
• Nik Gifford has the fourth-most walks in the conference with six.
• Dylan Slayton's opposing batting average of .185 is seventh-best in the Sun Belt.
• The Trojans are fifth-best hitting team in the conference at .272.
• Little Rock's .370 on-base percentage ranks third.
• Trojan hitters have the 10th-fewest strikeouts in the Sun Belt with 45.
• A win on Wednesday would give Little Rock a 30-0 record against the Delta Devils at Gary Hogan Field.

 
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
The Delta Devils are coming off a couple wins against the NAIA's Tougaloo College, but they have most all six of their games against Division I opponents. Last week, MVSU traveled to Arkansas and suffered losses of 21-4 and 20-0 to the Razorbacks.
 
MVSU has just 17 players on their roster. They're led on offense by Gabriel Waddell who's hitting .393 with 11 hits, two doubles and seven RBIs.
 
On the mound, the Delta Devils have a combined ERA of 10.36 and have an opposing batting average of .380.
 
ON THE MOUND FOR LITTLE ROCK
Right-hander Matt McDowell will make his first start on the mound for the Trojans. In two relief appearances, McDowell has pitched just a third of an inning and has only thrown 10 pitches.
 
SERIES AGAINST MVSU
Since the series began in 1989, Little Rock holds a commanding 41-2 record against MVSU. The only two losses occurred in 1990 and 2004 in Itta Bena.
 
Wednesday's game will mark the first time since 2008 that both teams have played each other. Little Rock is currently on a nine-game winning streak against the Delta Devils.
 
The most-lopsided win for the Trojans occurred in the 2000 season opener with 30-1 win over the Delta Devils.
 
FIELDING MATTERS
With a .992 fielding percentage, Little Rock has the third-best fielding percentage in the nation behind Lehigh and Long Beach State. The Trojans have committed just two errors this season.
 
STREAKS IN PROGRESS
Seven games into the 2016 season, Nik Gifford and Hayden Martin are the only Trojans remaining to have reached base in every game.
 
Martin and Cameron Knight have four-game hitting streaks currently taking place.
 
SITUATIONAL STATS
When leading off, Little Rock is hitting .475 for the season. With nine at-bats, Martin and Dalton Thomas are hitting .556 while Kyle Kirk is hitting .800 in five at-bats.
 
LEADING THE TROJANS
Martin leads the Trojans and has the 14th-best batting average in the Sun Belt at .375. Martin is also hitting .375 on both sides of the plate.
 
ROUNDING THE BASES
With 19 total bases this season, Ryan Scott ranks third in the Sun Belt. He also has the fourth-best slugging percentage in the conference at .704.
 
TAKE YOUR BASE
Little Rock ranks fourth in the Sun Belt with 33 walks this season. Junior Nik Gifford ranks fourth in the individual category with six so far.
 
SLIM CHANCE
In reliever Dylan Slayton's three appearances, opposing batters have had a hard time getting hits as they only average .185 off the left-hander, the seventh-lowest in the conference. Of Little Rock's pitching staff, Slayton has the most innings pitched without a start at 8.0.
 
GETTING ON BASE
Little Rock's offense has been productive in the early going as the team is hitting .272 through seven games, fifth-best in the Sun Belt. Even better is the Trojans' .370 on-base percentage, which ranks third.
 
For the most part, the Trojans have been patient hitters with just 45 strikeouts this season, the 10th-fewest in the conference.
 
A WIN AGAINST MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE WOULD…
…give Little Rock 10 straight wins over the Delta Devils. A win would also give Little Rock a 30-0 record against MVSU at Gary Hogan Field.
 
ON DECK
After Wednesday's game, the Trojans will go on their first road trip of the season as they visit Oral Roberts for a four-game series beginning on Friday.