Baseball | 3/26/2019 5:47:00 PM
GOODWELL, Okla.— This weekend the Aggies will head to Chickasha, Okla. for a three-game series against the No. 12 University of Science and Arts Oklahoma Drovers over Mar. 29-30. At this time, live stats or video will not be available for the series, but fans can follow updates on the Aggies via social media on Twitter @OPSUAthletics and Facebook @OpsuAggieAthletics or visit our website opsuaggies.com for post- game news.
GAME NOTES:
*SCOUTING THE DROVERS: USAO is currently ranked No. 12 in the nation and sits at No. 3 in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings. In their most recent outing the Drovers won the series overall against MACU, taking victories in Games 1 & 2 although they dropped the final Game 3 to the Evangels, 6-5. Drover LHP Colton Williams snagged Pitcher of the Week this week after pitching a complete game shutout against MACU and dealing out 11 strikeouts.
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AGGIES AT-A-GLANCE: The Aggies currently sit at 17-12 overall and are 8-4 in conference, landing them at No. 4 in the SAC ranks.
Four Aggies are now batting above .350 so far on the season with two above .400. Catcher Louis Rodriguez is leading the team at .407, outfielder
Payton Rhodes holds a close second at .405, first baseman
Jared Mayeda sits at .389 and shortstop
JJ Vaught is batting .351. Mayeda and Rodriguez hold the No. 5 and 7 spots, respectively, in the SAC for batting average, and OPSU is currently ranked No. 2 in team batting average at .327, just behind USAO.
Rodriguez also leads the team in RBIs with a hefty 31 and is listed at No. 4 in the SAC in RBIs per game, averaging 1.08 each outing. Mayeda tops the rankings in overall chances (174) and putouts (167) and leads the Aggies in doubles with 11 so far on the season.
*LAST TIME OUT: Panhandle is coming off a series sweep of Central Christian (Kan.) over last weekend (Mar. 23-24). The Aggies took three victories over the Tigers 13-10, 8-0, and 6-5. Over the series, Rhodes was 5-11 at the plate with 4 RBIs while Rodriguez went 4-9 with 5 RBIs, including a 3RBI home run. Outfielder
Jaylon Burnett and DH
Kasey Leatherwood also showed up at the plate for the Aggies, with both bringing in 4 RBIs and each racking up a home run and a double on the series. Outfielder
Jacob Dean also powered a home run over the Tigers as well as his third triple of the season.
Yesiel Valdez was edged out for SAC Pitcher of the Week by USAO's Williams, but pitched well enough to earn himself a nomination after he allowed just five hits, no runs and dealt out 8 strikeouts over his six innings pitched in Game 2 against CCC.
