A&M-Victoria baseball set for first-place battle with No. 1 LSU Shreveport, Homecoming weekend
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Game 1
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The Texas A&M University‑Victoria baseball team is riding the nation's longest active winning streak and boasts one of the nation's hottest offenses.
It couldn't come at a better time as the team returns home this week for a marquee Red River Athletic Conference series against No. 1‑ranked and defending national champion LSU Shreveport. Admission all weekend is free thanks to Crossroads Bank.
Friday night's 6:30 p.m. first pitch is a White Out and fans are encouraged to wear white to the game. Saturday's 12:15 p.m. doubleheader is the President's Tailgate and a Homecoming Red Out – fans in need of a red shirt for the game can purchase one through the A&M-Victoria Alumni & Friends page. Red rally towels and cowbells will be given to fans on Friday and Saturday.
The Jaguars enter the matchup at 24‑9 overall and 13‑2 in conference play after extending their win streak to 11 with a dominant series sweep of Xavier (La.) in New Orleans.
Now the Jaguars head into one of the most anticipated home series in program history with conference championship implications on the line. A&M-Victoria trails LSU Shreveport by one game in the RRAC Standings.
Slugfest awaits
A&M-Victoria and LSU Shreveport boast Top-25 offenses, respectively, so fans can expect a heavyweight battle.
The Jaguars' team batting average of .327 ranks 23rd while LSUS is second in the nation with a .366 clip.
The Pilots lead the country in runs scored with 363 while the Jaguars rank ninth with 283. A&M-Victoria has scored double-digit runs in seven of their last 11 games and 11 times this season.
Both teams enter the weekend with Top-25 pitching staffs, as well.
The Jaguars' 4.33 staff ERA ranks 21st nationally while Shreveport ranks second. The Pilots and Jaguars rank ninth and 16th, respectively, in strikeouts.
Senior right-hander Blane Zeplin ranks third nationally in strikeouts with 67 this season after a 10-strikeout performance in Game 2 vs. Xavier (La.). It was his fifth time eclipsing double-digit strikeouts this year.
He and fellow senior Jonathan Jones are tied for the national lead in wins with seven each.
Streaking
A&M-Victoria's 11-game winning streak is the second longest under head coach Jonathan Stavinoha. The Jaguars won 12 games in a row last season to set the new benchmark under Stavinoha's direction.
During this 11-game winning streak, the Jaguars have outscored opponents 137-43. Over that same time, A&M-Victoria is slashing .365/.570/.472.
Several of the NAIA's most productive hitters added more to their streak sheets as well. Beck Zimmerman pushed his hitting streak to 15 games, Garrett Smith extended his to 14, and Connor Kaiser climbed to 24 straight games reaching base. Jackson Purcell has also hit safely in the last 12 games and reached base in the last 16.
Smith has driven in 22 runs over the last 11 games thanks to six home runs, seven doubles and a triple. Both Purcell and Zimmerman have 21 RBIs each.
Zeplin, Jones and Jacob Baker have combined to go 9-0 over the last 11 games, with Zeplin boasting a team-leading 1.64 ERA in four starts.
Scouting the Pilots
This weekend will mark the 55th, 56th and 57th all-time meetings between the Jaguars and Pilots.
A&M-Victoria is seeking its first series win against LSU Shreveport since 2016, when the Jaguars swept a four-game series.
LSUS is coming off its first conference loss since 2024 after dropping a 14-6 decision to Our Lady of the Lake in the series finale on Saturday.
Homecoming week
Saturday's doubleheader serves as A&M-Victoria's homecoming this year.
The President's Tailgate kicks off the day at 11 a.m. and the crowning of the Royal Jaguars will take place between the games.
Follow along
Fans are encouraged to attend this weekend's series. But if you can't make it to Riverside Stadium, the live stream for each game will air on the A&M-Victoria Athletics YouTube channel and live stats will be provided on the A&M-Victoria Athletics website.