Trojans Head to Conway for First Road Game of 2022

GAME 10 | CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Date/Time	Tuesday, Mar. 8 - 4 p.m.
Location	Conway, Ark.
Field	Bear Stadium
Records	Little Rock (6-3, 0-0 SBC) Central Arkansas (3-7, 0-0 ASun)
Watch	ESPN+
Live Stats	UCASports.com
Twitter	@LittleRockBSB
Series	Little Rock leads, 30-21

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock hits the road for the first time this season, making the short drive north to Conway to take on Central Arkansas Tuesday, March 8. First pitch against the Bears is set for 4 p.m. at Bear Stadium in the first of three meetings between the two schools.
 
Blue Cross Blue Shield Governor's I-40 Showdown
Little Rock and Central Arkansas meet for the first of three games as part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Governor's I-40 Showdown, the yearly rivalry series between the Trojans and Bears. Three points in the standings are on the line with Central Arkansas holding a 16-6 lead in this year's tally.
 
The Week That Was
Little Rock raced out to a fast start in its three game series against Southern Illinois, taking the opener 10-0 at Gary Hogan Field. But the Salukis won both games of a Saturday doubleheader, outlasting the Trojans 9-6 and 5-2. For the series the Trojans held a .339 batting average, scoring 18 runs on 37 hits with 12 hits going for extra bases, including seven doubles and four home runs. Eldrige Figueroa and Canyon McWilliams both batted .500 for the series with Noah Dickerson hitting .417 with an .833 slugging percentage.
 
Leading the League
Little Rock leads the Sun Belt Conference in team batting average, and is eighth nationally, hitting .339 through the first three weeks of the season. The Trojans lead the league in doubles (27), slugging percentage (52.4%) and on base percentage (43.2%) while ranking second in stolen bases (25) and third in team ERA (3.56).
 
Big Start for Dickerson
Junior Noah Dickerson has been an offensive force for the Trojans through the first three weeks of the year, leading the Sun Belt in slugging percentage (.971) and OPS (1.506), ranking second in runs scored (13), runs batted in (15) and home runs (five). Dickerson is tied for the team lead in batting average (.412), registering five multi-hit games this season.
 
Let's Turn Two
Little Rock has made its mark defensively as one of the nation's top double play-turning teams the last few years. The Trojans led the Sun Belt in double plays turned in 2021 and holds that distinction early in 2022, ranking 22nd nationally in double plays turned (10) and 10th in double plays per game (1.11). Canyon McWilliams has been part of nine of those double plays, ranking first in the Sun Belt, with Jorden Hussein being part of eight, ranking second.
 
Scouting the Bears
Central Arkansas enters the week with a 3-7 overall record, taking two of three from South Dakota State over the weekend. The Bears have a familiar foe in Southern Illinois, dropping all three in their series to the Salukis, along with a 5-2 loss at fifth-ranked Vanderbilt. UCA is batting .235 on the year, led by RJ Pearson's .323 average. Connor Emmet leads Central Arkansas with a pair of homeruns while Trey Miller leads the team with six RBI. On the mound, the Bears have a 7.53 team ERA with the opposition batting .291 as the staff has combined for 93 strikeouts, while giving up 15 homeruns.
 
Series History
Little Rock and Central Arkansas have met 51 times previously with the Trojans holding a 30-21 edge in the all-time series since 1986. The Trojans are 10-9 all-time in Conway and have won five of the last seven games, but it was the Bears who were victorious in the last meeting, a 4-2 win at Bear Stadium on April 13, 2021.
 
Weather Report
The weather forecast for Tuesday's game is less than ideal with temperatures in the upper 40s at first pitch, dipping to the low 40s later in the night with a 50-60% chance of rain. Follow Little Rock Baseball on Twitter (@LittleRockBSB) for the most up-to-date schedule changes, as well as LRTrojans.com.
 
Five Things To Know
 
• Tuesday's game will be Little Rock's first away from Gary Hogan Field, playing the first nine games at home. After the game at Central Arkansas, the Trojans are schedule to return home for five more before leaving the state of Arkansas for the first time.
 
• Tyler Williams continues to be a threat on the base paths, ranking 21st nationally and first in the Sun Belt with eight stolen bases, ranking 11th nationally with 0.89 steals per game. He is complemented by Miguel Soto, who is right behind at 35th nationally in stolen bases (seven) and 19th in stolen bases per game (0.78).
 
• Noah Dickerson's five home runs his season ranks him 18th nationally in home runs and 12th in home runs per game (0.56), ranking 16th in the nation in slugging percentage (.971).
 
• Matthew Davis is slated to get the start for the Trojans Tuesday at Central Arkansas, which would be his first collegiate start. Davis has three appearances this season for Little Rock with a 5.79 ERA over 4.2 innings pitched with seven strikeouts.
 
• Little Rock has become a force in hitting doubles this season, ranking 31st in total doubles (27) and seventh nationally in doubles per game (3.00). Miguel Soto and Jack Stroth lead the Trojans with five each as Stroth's 0.62 per game average is 22nd nationally.
 
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