(NO RADIO) - Live Stats - Watch Live
UE Game Notes - UALR Game Notes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The University of Evansville baseball team will begin the 2015 season with a weekend series at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Friday, Feb. 13 at 3:00 p.m. The Purple Aces and Trojans will play three games this weekend at Gary Hogan Field with a Saturday, Feb. 14 game set for 12:00 p.m. and a first pitch on Sunday, Feb. 15 for 1:00 p.m.
 
This season, the Aces were projected to place fifth in the MVC preseason coach's poll. Outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski was named to the preseason All-MVC team. Kaczmarski, who was an All-MVC First Team selection each of the last two seasons, was one of three outfielders named to the Preseason All-MVC Team.  The Cary, Ill., native led UE with a .315 batting average, .502 slugging percentage, 19 doubles, 50 runs batted in, 110 total bases and eight sacrifice flies.
 
The Aces return 19 letterwinners from last season's MVC regular season championship team. Evansville also has seven returning starters from last year's lineup. UE notably brings back junior outfielder Josh Jyawook who hit .298 as well as shortstop Shain Showers who batted .289 with four home runs and 33 runs batted in. The Aces boast three players who had on-base percentages of over .400 last season including second baseman Boomer Synek (.412), Jyawook (.409) and first baseman Eric McKibban (.402).
 
On the pitching side, UE has nine arms back for another year. Junior right-hander Connor Strain returns to the rotation after a 3-4 season with a 4.21 earned run average. The Aces bullpen features right-hander Brent Jurceka who held a .218 opponent's batting average while compiling more than a strikeout per inning pitched (1.1).
 
The Aces have 10 newcomers to the roster this spring from five different states. Pitchers Patrick Schnieders and Brodie Harkness are expected to contend for spots in the UE rotation. Catcher Travis Tokarek looks to step in as the new Evansville backstop.
 
UALR finished last season 25-29 with an 11-19 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans return 17 players from last year including six position starters and nine pitchers. Outfielder Tanner Rockwell hit .321 in 2014, second highest on the team. Right-handed pitcher Cameron Allen struck out 49 hitters last year and is back for his senior season.
 
The Aces will be led on the field by seventh year head coach and UE alum Wes Carroll. The Trojans are coached by Chris Curry in his first season at the helm.
 
This is the first meeting between UE and UALR since 2012 when the Trojans won two of three games. The Aces won the only other two meetings in 2005.
 
UE has their first home game at Braun Stadium on Friday, February 27 when they play Oakland as part of a three-game weekend series.