Battle on the Bayou Awaits Trojan in Season's First Road Trip

GAMES 5-8 | MARDI GRAS CLASSIC - NICHOLLS, McNEESE, SOUTHERN
Dates	Friday, Feb. 21 - Sunday, Feb. 23
Times	Friday vs. Nicholls - 6 p.m. Saturday vs. McNeese - 2 p.m. Saturday vs. Nicholls - 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Southern - 1 p.m.
Location	Thibodaux, La.
Field	Ray E. Dider Field
Records	Little Rock (3-1, 0-0 SBC) Nicholls (1-3, 0-0 SLC) McNeese (4-1, 0-0 SLC) Southern (2-3, 0-0 SWAC)
Watch	YouTubeTV (games vs. Nicholls)
Live Stats	TrojanStats.com

LITTLE ROCK – After a four game home stand to open the season, Little Rock makes its first road trip of 2020, heading south to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The Trojans will play four games over the space of three days, facing Nicholls on Friday and Saturday while taking on McNeese on Saturday and Southern on Sunday. All four games will take place at Ray E. Didier Field in Thibodaux as part of the Louisiana's Cajun Bayou Mardi Gras Classic.
 
Strong Start
Little Rock opened the 2020 season at 3-1, marking the program's best start since going 5-0 to open the 2014 season. The Trojans took two of three from Illinois State, a team that qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2019, then rallied to defeat Grambling State 6-4 Wednesday afternoon.
 
Scouting the Colonels
Nicholls, which will serve as the host school for the weekend tournament, is 1-3 on the year but is coming off a 4-2 upset win over 11th-ranked LSU Wednesday night in Thibodaux. Nicholls opened the year with a pair of losses to SIU-Edwardsville and a 7-3 defeat to George Washington, all at home. As a team, the Colonels are batting .190 while allowing 4.00 earned runs per game and an opposing batting average of .298.
 
Scouting the Cowboys
McNeese is off to a strong start on the year, sitting at 4-1 and outscoring its opponents 62-10 through five games. An NCAA regional team from 2019, the Cowboys were picked to finish third in the Southland Conference this season after winning the league tournament last season. McNeese is batting .389 as a team with six players hitting .400 or better thus far, while on the mound, the staff holds a 2.09 ERA and has limited its opponents to a .136 batting average.

Scouting the Jaguars
Southern was a late addition to the schedule for the weekend as the Trojans were originally slated to play two games against McNeese. The Jaguars are 2-3 on the year, defeating New Orleans and Alcorn State and dropping games to Grambling and Alabama State as part of the Andre Dawson Classic in New Orleans. Southern then lost a mid-week game at #11 LSU 8-3 Tuesday. Southern is hitting .249 at the plate while holding a team ERA of 4.20.
 
Series Histories
It has been a while since the Trojans have met up with either Nicholls or McNeese, dating back well beyond any member of the current roster. Little Rock is 3-4 all-time against the Colonels with the last meeting between the two a 6-5 Trojan win in Little Rock in 1984. Little Rock is 0-3 all-time in Thibodaux. The Trojans trail the all-time series with McNeese 2-7 with the last meeting a 10-9 Little Rock win in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on February 25, 2009. Sunday will be the first-ever meeting between Little Rock and Southern.

Last Time Out
Little Rock found itself trailing Grambling 4-1 after the third inning Wednesday, but rallied to score five unanswered to defeat the Tigers 6-4 at Gary Hogan Field. The Trojan bullpen kept Grambling on edge all night as the staff allowed just three hits with 19 strikeouts, led by 10 from Dillon Delgadillo who picked up the win. At the plate, Tucker Childers and Miguel Soto each drove in a pair of runs as the Trojans' 11 hits was one off the season high.
 
Five Things To Know
 
1. Miguel Soto continues to be red hot for the Trojans to start the year. The sophomore second baseman went 2-for-2 against the Tigers and upped his season batting average to .643, going 9-of-14 from the plate with six RBI and three doubles.
 
2. Tucker Childers is right behind Soto, giving the Trojans a potent 1-2 offensive spark. The junior is batting .545, going 6-for-11 with three RBI in three games played. Combined, the two are batting .600 with nine of Little Rock's 20 RBI on the year.
 
3. Dillon Delgadillo was lights out against the Tigers Wednesday, pitching 4.1 innings and striking out 10 batters while allowing just one hit. He picked up his second win as a Trojan and became the second pitcher to record 10 or more strikeouts in a game this season, joining Hayden Arnold who struck out 11 against Illinois State on February 14.
 
4. The 19 strikeouts for the Trojan pitching staff Wednesday night was the most for the program in a single game since Little Rock tallied 19 in a 13 inning win over Arkansas State in 2002. It was also the most in a non-extra inning game since a 20 strikeout performance by Little Rock against New Mexico State on May 17, 2002.
 
5. The trip to Thibodaux will be a Homecoming of sorts for a pair of Louisiana Trojans. Junior Gage Trahan is from Maurice, Louisiana, located about 100 miles northwest of Thibodaux, while freshman Will Spears is from New Orleans, 60 miles to the northeast.
 
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