PREVIEW: Baseball to Play Final Home Series of Regular Season

Baseball enters into their final regular season series of the year on a five-game winning streak as they welcome the Saluqis of Southwest Tennessee to Cougar Field on Thursday and Friday. Thursday's doubleheader will begin at 1:00 ET and Friday's single game will start at 12:00 ET. There will also be a special Sophomore Day ceremony at 11:45 ET on Friday.

After their 12-1 win on Wednesday at Shorter University JV, the Cougars record sits at 24-15 and 12-7 in the TCCAA, good for third overall. Southwest Tennessee is 15-29 overall and 5-16 in the conference, sitting in the ninth spot. They had won five straight games, including a sweep of Roane State, before losing to Jackson State 10-5 on Tuesday.

Jared Kirkman leads the Saluqis with a .277 BA. Chris Swanberg leads the team in RBI with 28, while Kendall Franklin leads STCC with 24 runs scored. On the mound, Will Nash leads the team in ERA with a 4.50 mark and Cannon Duke leads the team with 55 strikeouts.

After this game, the Cougars will play their final regular season series of the year as they travel to Dyersburg State next Friday and Saturday. The first pitch in the single game on April 26 will be at 2:00 ET.

LAST THREE SERIES:

April 17 at Shorter JV, 1-0

April 12 & 13 at Vol State, 3-0

April 10 at Tusculum, 1-1

NEXT THREE SERIES:

April 26 & 27 at Dyersburg State, 4/26 at 2:00 ET, 4/27 doubleheader beginning at 1:00 ET

*May 5-11, TCCAA Tournament at Columbia State, TBD

*tournament is double elimination

CSCC TEAM LEADERS:

BA: Jonathan Hickman, .390

RBI: Rhett Baldwin, 36

HR: Rhett Baldwin, 7

R: Lance Dockery, 39

SB: Tucker Mendenhall, 23 (fourth in TCCAA)

ERA: Ethan Walls, 4.57 in 45.1 IP

K: Ryan Inches, 69 in 52.2 IP (second in TCCAA)

STCC TEAM LEADERS:

BA: Jared Kirkman, .277

RBI: Chris Swanberg, 28

HR: Jackson Little, 6

R: Kendall Franklin, 24

SB: Barrone Porter, 14

ERA: Will Nash, 4.50 in 46.0 IP

K: Cannon Duke, 55 in 50.0 IP

TCCAA STANDINGS:

1. Walters State, 42-7 overall, 17-2 TCCAA

2. Motlow State, 31-12 overall, 14-5 TCCAA

3. Cleveland State, 24-15 overall, 12-7 TCCAA

4. Chattanooga State, 27-11 overall, 10-7 TCCAA

5. Dyersburg State, 32-14 overall, 12-9 TCCAA

6. Columbia State, 15-24 overall, 9-11 TCCAA

7. Jackson State, 26-18 overall, 8-11 TCCAA

8. Volunteer State, 16-24 overall, 6-14 TCCAA

9. Southwest Tennessee, 15-29 overall, 5-16 TCCAA

10. Roane State, 12-19 overall, 4-15 TCCAA

Follow us on Twitter @CS_Athletics, on Instagram @clevelandstateathletics, or like us on Facebook for more news and scores from your Cleveland State Cougars!