Louisiana Baseball vs Arkansas State: SBC Series Preview

(Jonesboro, AR) - Louisiana baseball travels to Jonesboro for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Arkansas State. The Cajuns come in at 23-17 overall and 7-11 in conference play, sitting two games out of sixth place in the SBC standings with 12 league games left. The math is simple. Louisiana needs wins, and it needs them now.

Cajuns Offense Riding Four-Game Hit Streak Into Jonesboro

The offense has been locked in lately, posting double-digit hits in four straight games. Lee Amedee leads the lineup at .333 with 27 RBI, with Colt Brown (.316, 25 RBI) right behind him. When this offense gets going, it can put up runs in bunches.

Cajuns Pitching Starters vs Arkansas State

Cody Brasch gets the ball Friday. The junior right-hander is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA and has been one of the steadier arms in the rotation all season. Saturday brings out the Cajuns' best, Andrew Herrmann. The graduate lefty leads the entire Sun Belt in strikeouts with 76, owns a 5-2 record and a 3.75 ERA, and has held hitters to a .200 opponent average across 69.2 innings.

Why Arkansas State Is a Dangerous Host

If Louisiana is going to take this series, Herrmann's start is the one to build around.
Arkansas State is not an easy out. The Red Wolves are 25-15 and 15-5 at home, just exploded for 20 runs against Central Arkansas on Tuesday, and rank second in the SBC with 62 home runs. Freshman Derek Martinez is hitting .333 with 12 home runs and 28 RBI, and this lineup can put the ball in the seats in a hurry.

The pitching matchup gets interesting as the series goes on. Louisiana gets a favorable look Friday against Andrew Allen (1-3, 4.44 ERA), then mirrors A-State's Jack Nelson with Herrmann on Saturday. Sunday is where it gets complicated. Dylan Farley is 6-1 with a 2.56 ERA for the Red Wolves, and the Cajuns haven't named a starter yet. That game could define the series.

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Louisiana has the offensive momentum and the pitching to take this weekend. But this is a road trip against a team that wins at home, and the Cajuns can't afford to drop two of three with the standings as tight as they are.

Series Schedule and How to Watch

Friday, April 25 - 6 p.m. | Slayton Family Field at Tomlinson Stadium, Jonesboro, Ark.
Saturday, April 26 - 6 p.m. | Slayton Family Field at Tomlinson Stadium, Jonesboro, Ark.
Sunday, April 27 - 1 p.m. | Slayton Family Field at Tomlinson Stadium, Jonesboro, Ark.

Watch: ESPN+
Listen: KPEL-FM 96.5 | Varsity Network app (worldwide)