Little Rock Starts Five-Game Swing Against In-State Rivals Tuesday at Pine Bluff

Baseball fans in the state of Arkansas will certainly have eyes on the Little Rock baseball team over the next week as the Trojans start a five-game run against in-state rivals Tuesday at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
 
The Trojans will also take on Central Arkansas in a three-game series this weekend before wrapping up the in-state swing at home Tuesday against Arkansas State.
 
Little Rock (6-5) and UAPB (4-9) will compete in the first of two contests between the programs on Tuesday, with a 2:00 pm start at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex in Pine Bluff. The game can be streamed on the UAPB Athletics YouTube page. Live updates will also be available on the Little Rock Baseball X account: @LittleRockBSB.
 
Game Info
Who: Little Rock at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
When: Tuesday, March 3 at 2:00 pm
Where: Torii Hunter Baseball Complex – Pine Bluff, Ark.
Video: UAPB Athletics on YouTube
Live Stats: LRTrojans.com
 
Coach Speak
"We're looking forward to starting this five-game stretch against our in-state rivals. We have great respect for the Pine Bluff program, and our games with them have always been tough," head coach Chris Curry said. "I think [UAPB coach] Logan Stout is doing a great job, running that program the right way, and they have very good players. I expect our two-game series with them to be very hard-fought." 
 
Series History
• The two schools have met every year, dating back to 2021. The first meeting between the two teams dates back to 1977.
• Little Rock is 28-7 all-time against UAPB, but just 5-6 on the road.
• The Trojans won the last meeting, a 7-5 victory at home on March 12, 2025, and have won seven of the last eight in the series. 
 
Scouting the Golden Lions
• After a 4-2 start this season, UAPB has dropped seven straight games. The Golden Lions are 4-4 at home.
• UAPB is back home for the first time since Feb. 22 after dropping both games at Missouri and being swept in a three-game series at Arkansas State.
• The Golden Lions finished 19-34 last season, but had a winning home record of 9-6. They went 17-10 in conference play but were beaten in the opening round of the SWAC Tournament.
• UAPB is averaging 2.6 runs per game while hitting just .198 as a team. 
 
Trojan Report
• Kade Smith hit .571 last week (8-of-14) with three multi-hit games and two games with three hits. This season, he is hitting a team-high .471 with an on-base percentage of .581.
• The Trojans are 3-0 in one-run games and 5-0 when leading after seven innings.
• Easton Roe recorded a hit in all four games last week, including his first home run of the season at Missouri State.
• Josh Beezley has yet to surrender a run throughout four relief appearances, including a 3.2-inning outing Saturday at Missouri State.
• Cade Martin had his streak of drawing at least one walk broken at nine games. He leads the team with 11 walks this season.
• Ty Rhoades leads the Trojans with 16 RBIs and has driven in at least one run in nine of 11 games. Rhoades is hitting .500 this season (9-of-18) with runners in scoring position.
• Through three starts, Brannon Westmoreland has totaled 18 strikeouts to just three walks and allowed just nine hits over 17.2 innings.