THE GAMES
Tarleton is back home for spring break and will host Lubbock Christian in a four-game series. The series was originally scheduled for the weekend, but due to inclement weather, the series will now begin on Thursday with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader and resume with single, nine-inning games on Friday and Saturday at 3 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
 
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Due to anticipated weather, the teams have preemptively prepared for bad weather by starting the series on Thursday. The series will be played in a 2-1-1 format from Thursday-Saturday but more changes could be on the horizon. Stay tuned to TarletonSports.com for updates throughout the weekend. Thursday's games were changed to a 1:30 p.m. start on Thursday morning.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Tarleton Baseball games are available in advance and at the gate. Prices are $5 for adults and $3 for youth (ages 8-18). Children (ages 7 and under) and Tarleton students with a valid ID will receive free admission. Advanced ticket sales are available at TarletonSports.com/Tickets. All seating is general admission.
 
GAME COVERAGE
There will be live stats and video available for the games, courtesy of the home team. Links to live stats can be found at the links on the Game Day preview story and Game Day graphics on Tarleton's Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as on the baseball schedule page at TarletonSports.com.
 
CONFERENCE PLAY RIGHT OFF THE BAT
For the first time in program history, Tarleton will be playing a closed conference schedule. With the addition of seven new baseball teams to the Lone Star Conference – bringing the total to 14 – every series of the season will count towards the Lone Star Conference standings.
 
THE NEW-LOOK LONE STAR
The Lone Star Conference has doubled its amount of baseball teams following its expansion to becoming the largest NCAA Division II conference in the country. The LSC, which has 19 total members, now boasts 14 members that sponsor NCAA Division II baseball. New member Dallas Baptist sponsors NCAA Division I baseball and will not compete in the Lone Star. The LSC Champion will be the team(s) with the best winning percentage in regular-season conference games. The LSC Championship will be a two-week tournament featuring eight teams with the opening round on campus on May 1-2. The winners of each opening round series will advance to The Depot in Cleburne, Texas for a double-elimination tournament that will be played May 7-9. The winner of the postseason tournament will be recognized as the LSC Tournament Champion and receive the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA postseason.
 
ABOUT THE TEXANS
Tarleton is coming off a series split on the road at Cameron. The Texans are 12-10 overall in the debut season of head coach Aaron Meade. The Texans boast the third-best offense in the Lone Star Conference with a .316 batting average. The Texans are also second in the league in runs scored (190). Blake Burns has moved into the Lone Star Conference lead in batting average (.481) and also leads the league in hits (38) and RBI (31). Tarleton has a team ERA of 6.72 but is fourth in the LSC in strikeouts (194). Justin Waltmon leads the team and is 11^th in the LSC in strikeouts (37).
 
ABOUT LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN
Lubbock Christian University is another new program in the Lone Star Conference after coming over from the Heartland Conference. The Chaps are 7-15 on the season and are hitting .241 as a team. The Chaps are eighth in the conference in team ERA (5.60). The Chaps come to Stephenville after having lost three of four to UT Tyler in Lubbock last weekend.
 
ONE FOR THE TROPHY CASE
Tarleton head coach Aaron Meade earned his first career victory as the lead man in the dugout on Friday, February 7 in a 10-0 shutout of UT Permian Basin in Stephenville. Justin Waltmon threw a complete game shutout in the win.
 
LEADING THE NATION
The NCAA Division II hits leader is rocking the purple and white. Blake Burns enters the weekend with the most base hits in the nation (38).
 
BURNS AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
In addition to leading the nation in hits, Blake Burns is also among the national leaders in several other statistical categories. The lefty swinger from Keller is ranked ninth in the nation in batting average (.481) and home runs (9), as well as fifth in runs scored (31), fourth in RBI (31) and fifth in total bases (67). He enters the weekend with a slash line of .481/.573/.848.
 
THE GROVE STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
Blake Burns was named The Grove Male Student-Athlete of the Month for February Thursday morning. Burns has been one of the best hitters in all of NCAA Division II baseball over the first month of the season. The Texans went 8-5 during the month of the February with Burns hitting .511. The senior from Keller has gone 24-for-47 over the last 13 games with six home runs and 21 RBI, including a nine RBI performance against UT Permian Basin that garnered him an LSC Player of the Week honor. His nine RBI against UTPB on February 8 ties him for the second-most RBI in a single game in program history.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Tarleton and Lubbock Christian have a 23-game history that dates back to 1988. The Texans and Chaps were regular rivals for the first 10 years Tarleton Baseball's modern era. LCU holds a 17-6 edge in the all-time series, including 15-5 mark from 1988 to 1997. The teams renewed the series in 2017 with three games in Stephenville and Tarleton won the middle game 5-3 in 12 innings.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
Tarleton will hit the road for Canyon next weekend to begin a four-game series at Wilder Park against West Texas A&M, beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.