| SERIES INFORMATION |
| When: Friday-Sunday, Feb. 5-7, 2016 |
| Game Times: Friday - 10 a.m. | Saturday - 6 p.m. | Sunday - 2 p.m. |
| Where: Houston, Texas | Minute Maid Park |
| Records: Tarleton 2-1, 0-0 LSC | Arkansas-Monticello 0-0, 0-0 GAC |
| Records: No. 6 St. Cloud State 0-0, 0-0 NSIC | No. 16 Henderson State 1-2, 0-0 LSC |
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| FOLLOW THE ACTION |
| Social Media: Facebook | Twitter |
| Live Stats: Live Stats (1) | Live Stats (2) | Live Stats (3) |
| Tournament Central: UCMathletics.com |
THE GAMES
Tarleton will open a three-game trip to Houston tomorrow as a part of its fourth straight trip to the Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park – which features the Texans against two of the nation's top-20 ranked teams.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Tarleton will open the tournament against Arkansas-Monticello, who is the only opponent over Tarleton's first 12 games this season not ranked in the nation's top-40 of the 2016 Collegiate Baseball Division II preseason poll, to get the tournament under way at 10 a.m. Friday morning. The Texans will then turn their attention to back-to-back top-20 opponents – playing No. 6 St. Cloud State (MN) on Saturday at 6 p.m. and No. 16 Henderson State Sunday at 2 p.m.
RECEIVING VOTES
Tarleton State is currently on the outside of the Collegiate Baseball Top 40 poll, but is receiving votes for the rankings.
ABOUT THE WINTER INVITATIONAL
This is the fourth straight season in which the Texans have competed at the home of the Houston Astros. Tarleton has an overall record of 5-4 in nine career games at Minute Maid Park. The tournament is hosted by the University of Central Missouri, which is the alma mater of Astros owner Jim Crane. Tarleton has been a part of the tournament for all four years of its existence. Tickets will be sold daily and are $15 for adults, $8 for students, and $5 youth. Children three years old and younger are free when accompanied by a paid adult.
LAST TIME OUT
Tarleton is coming off a season-opening series win at No. 16 Henderson State last weekend. The revamped Texan offense scored 25 runs in the first three games of the season, led by
Landon Merka who hit .556 with five RBIs.
TARLETON AGAINST ITS OPPONENTS
The Texans will face a pair of, relatively unfamiliar, foes in Arkansas-Monticello and St. Cloud State before wrapping up the tournament with Henderson State, who Tarleton opened the season against last weekend. The game against St. Cloud State will be the first in school history while Tarleton has only faced Monticello once – a 3-5 loss at Minute Maid Park in 2013. Against Henderson State, Tarleton owns a 6-4 advantage since the series began in 2008.
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will head to San Antonio next weekend for another three-game road series against a ranked opponent when Tarleton visits No. 12 St. Mary's Friday and Saturday.
