TYLER, TEXAS – The UT Tyler baseball program will recognize nine seniors this weekend in the final homestand of the 2021 season for the Patriots throughout the series against St. Mary's at Irwin Field.
 
This weekend's series has been re-scheduled for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday afternoon and a single game on Sunday afternoon set to get underway at 2 p.m. The senior ceremony honoring the nine Patriots that will be playing in their final home series at Irwin Field will take place between the two games on Saturday afternoon.
 
Seven Patriots that will be receiving their degrees will also be recognized in a special ceremony prior to first pitch on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. President Kirk A. Calhoun will be in attendance to present those seven individuals with their degrees as UT Tyler baseball will be on the road competing during the official UT Tyler ceremony.
 
Both ceremonies will be live streamed as part of the traditional game broadcasts on the UT Tyler Lone Star Conference Digital Network page.
 
OFFENSIVE MARATHONS
 
UT Tyler wrapped up the non-conference portion of their schedule with an offensive barnburner on Tuesday afternoon against Southern Arkansas. The Patriots recorded the highest run total for the program since 2016 in a 20-17 win over the Muleriders in which seven different players recorded multi-hit games.
 
UT Tyler scored 14 of their 20 runs in the game, the most runs scored since a 21-7 win over the University of Dallas on Feb. 7, 2016, over a three-inning stretch of play in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Jordan Gochenour broke the UT Tyler school record for most walks in a game with five in the effort.
 
The win on Tuesday afternoon against Southern Arkansas snapped a four-game losing streak for the Patriots, including a tough three-game series loss at Oklahoma Christian in their most recent Lone Star Conference action. UT Tyler has now recorded 10 or more runs in each of their last three wins dating back to 13-7 and 19-6 wins over UAFS on Apr. 10.
 
Head coach Brent Porche will hope that Tuesday's midweek win over Southern Arkansas will return the Patriots to the offensive form they displayed in their last outings at Irwin Field in those wins against UAFS.
 
ONE TWO PUNCH
 
Riley Jepson and Kyler Bumstead have developed into a formidable one-two punch at the top of the Patriots lineup throughout the second half of the 2021 season. Neither Patriot began the year in either role in the lineup, but have flourished since finding a home in the one and two spots in the order for UT Tyler.
 
Jepson leads the Patriots with a .346 average on the year, and has posted a .457 on-base percentage during his time in the leadoff spot in the lineup. He has also managed to find ways to drive in runs from the top spot in the order, driving in 10 of his team-high 38 RBI in nine games in the leadoff spot.
 
Bumstead has truly been the difference-maker however in the recent up-tick in offensive production for the Patriots, batting .417 in his 10 games in the two spot in the lineup behind Jepson. He has totaled five multi-hit games in those last 10 games, and has posted a batting average of .354 on the year.
 
POLANCO POWER
 
Lukas Polanco has seen time all over the batting order and in both the catching and designated hitter roles throughout the season, but his consistent power at the plate has been there all season long. He will enter this weekend's series with home runs in each of the last three games for the Patriots dating back to last weekend's series against Oklahoma Christian, and now leads the team with nine homers on the year.
 
He hit a pair of long balls in the 13-7 win over UAFS back on Apr. 10 in the Patriot's last home action, and ranks in a tie for second in the LSC with those nine homers on the year.
 
SCOUTING AND HISTORY WITH THE RATTLERS
 
St. Mary's (20-14, 17-13 LSC) finds themselves in a battle for one of the eight spots in the 2021 Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship Tournament set for May 14-22. The Rattlers enter this weekend's series with a record of 17-13 in Lone Star Conference play and currently sit sixth in the conference standings.
 
The Rattlers swept Cameron and UT Permian Basin in each of their last two series, giving the club it's longest win streak of the year with six straight victories. The team has struggled throughout 2021 in away games, producing a mark of 5-10 in contests away from their home field as compared to a record of 13-3 in home games at Dickson Stadium.
 
This weekend's series between the two programs will be the first ever meetings as last season's scheduled series was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
St. Mary's has been a consistent offensive club all season long, and ranks fourth in the Lone Star Conference with a team batting average of .310 for the year. Six primary starters for the Rattlers enter the series against UT Tyler with batting averages north of .300 on the year.
 
Johnny Hernandez was selected as last week's Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for his efforts in the Rattler's 3-0 sweep of UT Permian Basin. Hernandez went 7-for-9 on the weekend and reached base a total of 10 times throughout the series.
 
Zach De La Garza and Dylan Bells have been the two primary starters for St. Mary's on the year, combining for an 11-2 record in 18 starts between the two arms.