The 2021 Little Rock Trojans baseball team represented the University of Arkansas at Little Rock during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Trojans played their home games at Gary Hogan Field and were led by seventh-year head coach Chris Curry. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Preseason
Signing Day Recruits
Pitchers Preston Davis Texarkana, Texas Redwater HS Ezra Gustafson Midwest City, Oklahoma Carl Albert HS Asher Hastings Little Rock, Arkansas Joe T. Robinson HS Tristan Hawkins Benton, Arkansas Benton HS Michael Quevedo Deltona, Florida TNXL Academy Hitters Jaxson Anders Greenbrier, Arkansas Greenbrier HS Traejon Blake England, Arkansas England HS Aidan Garrett Benton, Arkansas Benton HS Jarkevious Johnson Cleveland, Mississippi Cleveland Central HS Graydon Martin Texarkana, Arkansas Arkansas HS
Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 15, 2021 and the Trojans were picked to finish fourth in the West Division.
Coaches poll (West) 1 Texas State 65 (6) 2 UT Arlington 58 (4) 3 Louisiana 52 (2) 4 Little Rock 33 5 Louisiana–Monroe 27 6 Arkansas State 13
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team & Honors Aaron Funk (LR, Pitcher) Jordan Jackson (GASO, Pitcher) Conor Angel (LA, Pitcher) Wyatt Divis (UTA, Pitcher) Lance Johnson (TROY, Pitcher) Caleb Bartolero (TROY, Catcher) William Sullivan (TROY, 1st Base) Luke Drumheller (APP, 2nd Base) Drew Frederic (TROY, Shortstop) Cooper Weiss (CCU, 3rd Base) Ethan Wilson (USA, Outfielder) Parker Chavers (CCU, Outfielder) Rigsby Mosley (TROY, Outfielder) Eilan Merejo (GSU, Designated Hitter) Andrew Beesly (ULM, Utility)
Roster 2021 Little Rock Trojans roster Pitchers 12 Reese Lansville - Sophomore 14 Eli Sievert - Senior 16 Jacob Weatherley - Freshman 17 Aaron Funk - Senior 18 Aaron Barkley - Senior 19 Calvin Hunt - Sophomore 25 Jack Decooman - Redshirt Junior 26 Cal Beardsley - Senior 27 Luke Wallner - Senior 29 Matthew Davis - Freshman 30 Hayden Arnold - Senior 31 Chance Vaught - Freshman 34 Dillon Delgadillo - Senior 35 Zane Neves - Sophomore 36 Austin Smith - Senior 37 Erik McKnight - Sophomore 39 Sawyer Smallwood - Junior 40 John Boushelle - Senior 44 Cole Evans - Senior Catchers 10 Anthony Socci - Junior 23 Robert Diaz - Freshman 28 John Michael Russ - Senior 32 Jake Wright - Sophomore
Infielders 1 Christian Bernabe - Sophomore 2 Eldrige Figeuroa - Senior 4 Chris Prentiss - Senior 5 Miguel Soto - Junior 6 Nathan Lyons - Junior 9 Will Spears - Sophomore 21 Jorden Hussein - Senior 24 Canyon McWilliams - Senior 33 Kobe Barnum - Senior
Outfielders 7 Noah Dickerson - Redshirt Sophomore 8 Tim Dixon - Senior 13 Tyler Williams - Sophomore 20 Kenny Rodriguez - Senior 22 Marlon Lindsey - Junior
Coaching staff 2021 Little Rock Trojans coaching staffChris Curry – Head Coach – 7th year Noah Sanders – Assistant Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator – 4th year R. D. Spiehs – Assistant Head Coach – 3rd year Eric Hansen – Director of Operations/Player Development – 1st year Jacob Caples – Volunteer Assistant Coach
Schedule and results Legend Little Rock win Little Rock loss Postponement/Cancelation/SuspensionsBoldLittle Rock team member
2021 Little Rock Trojans baseball game log Regular season (21-28) February (2-4) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordFeb. 21 at J. L. Johnson Stadium • Tulsa, OK W 4-3 Arnold (1-0) Rogen (0-1) None 882 1-0 Feb. 22 at Oral Roberts J. L. Johnson Stadium • Tulsa, OK L 3-7 Coffey (1-0) DeCooman (0-1) None 519 1-1 Feb. 23 at No. 20 Oklahoma State O'Brate Stadium • Stillwater, OK CancelledFeb. 24 at No. 20 Oklahoma State O'Brate Stadium • Stillwater, OK L 2-7 Cheney (1-0) McKnight (0-1) None 2,635 1-2 Feb. 26 Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR L 6-12 Hampton (2-0) Funk (0-1) Doherty (1) 75 1-3 Feb. 26 Eastern Illinois Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR L 1-17 (7 inns) Nicholson (1-0) Arnold (1-1) None 240 1-4 Feb. 27 Eastern Illinois Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 6-5 Barkley (1-0) Stevenson (0-1) None 185 2-4 March (9-4) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordMar. 3 Central Arkansas Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 5-3 Evans (1-0) Gregson (0-1) Barkley (1) 294 3-4 Mar. 5 at Mike D. Lane Field • Florence, AL L 4-6 Nichols (1-0) Hunt (0-1) None 157 3-5 Mar. 6 at North Alabama Mike D. Lane Field • Florence, AL W 9-1 Barkley (2-0) Best (0-2) None 210 4-5 Mar. 7 at North Alabama Mike D. Lane Field • Florence, AL W 10-3 Weatherley (1-0) Moore (0-2) None 209 5-5 Mar. 12 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 0-7 Greenhill (2-0) Funk (0-2) None SECN+ 850 5-6 Mar. 13 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL L 0-6 Barnett (2-0) Arnold (1-2) None SECN+ 850 5-7 Mar. 14 at Auburn Plainsman Park • Auburn, AL W 12-6 Barkley (3-0) Bright (2-1) None SECN+ 850 6-7 Mar. 19 Texas State Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 2-1 (11 inns) Barkley (1-0) Wofford (1-1) None ESPN+ 212 7-7 1-0Mar. 20 Texas State Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 12-0 Arnold (2-2) Bush (1-2) None ESPN+ 238 8-7 2-0Mar. 21 Texas State Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 7-4 Weatherley (2-0) Nicholas (0-1) Barkley (2) ESPN+ 254 9-7 3-0Mar. 23 at Torii Hunter Baseball Complex • Pine Bluff, AR Game CancelledMar. 26 at Itchy Jones Stadium • Carbondale, IL L 7-10 McDaniel (1-0) Barkley (4-1) None 9-8 Mar. 27 at Southern Illinois Itchy Jones Stadium • Carbondale, IL W 11-5 Arnold (3-2) Chapman (5-1) None 10-8 Mar. 28 at Southern Illinois Itchy Jones Stadium • Carbondale, IL W 11-5 Barkley (5-1) McDaniel (1-1) None 11-8 Mar. 30 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 7-2 Delgadillo (1-0) Wasson (0-1) None 207 12-8 April (6-10) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordApr. 1 at Arkansas State Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field • Jonesboro, AR L 2-10 Hudson (2-0) Funk (0-3) Jumpers (2) ESPN+ 405 12-9 3-1Apr. 2 at Arkansas State Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field • Jonesboro, AR L 0-4 Jeans (1-0) Arnold (3-3) None ESPN+ 422 12-10 3-2Apr. 3 at Arkansas State Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field • Jonesboro, AR L 6-10 Holt (1-2) DeCooman (0-2) None ESPN+ 510 12-11 3-3Apr. 6 at No. 2 Arkansas Baum–Walker Stadium • Fayetteville, AR L 2-7 Costeiu (4-0) Smallwood (0-1) None SECN+ 4,225 12-12 Apr. 7 at No. 2 Arkansas Baum–Walker Stadium • Fayetteville, AR L 3-10 Bolden (1-0) Evans (1-1) None SECN+ 4,002 12-13 Apr. 9 South Alabama Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 7-3 Arnold (4-3) Lee (2-2) Barkley (3) ESPN+ 204 13-13 4-3Apr. 10 South Alabama Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 4-2 Funk (1-3) Boswell (2-1) Barkley (4) ESPN+ 432 14-13 5-3Apr. 11 South Alabama Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 9-8 Hunt (1-1) Samaniego (1-1) None ESPN+ 436 15-13 6-3Apr. 13 at Central Arkansas Bear Stadium • Conway, AR L 2-4 Moyer (2-3) Beardsley (0-1) Cleveland (5) 345 15-14 Apr. 17 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA W 2-0 Arnold (5-3) Barnes (1-3) Barkley (5) 618 16-14 7-3Apr. 18 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA L 3-5 Barlow (4-4) Funk (1-4) Lindsay (2) 578 16-15 7-4Apr. 19 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA L 4-5 (10 inns) Goleman (1-1) Barkley (5-2) None 494 16-16 7-5Apr. 20 at No. 12 Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS L 6-11 Kimbrell (4-0) Vaught (0-1) None SECN+ 6,851 16-17 Apr. 23 Louisiana Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 8-2 Arnold (6-3) Arrighetti (6-3) Barkley (6) ESPN+ 256 17-17 8-5Apr. 24 Louisiana Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 4-3 (10 inns) Delgadillo (2-0) Nelson (1-1) None ESPN+ 490 18-17 9-5Apr. 25 Louisiana Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR L 4-7 Dixon (2-0) Wallner (0-1) Talley (5) ESPN+ 390 18-18 9-6 May (3–10) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC recordMay 1 at UT Arlington Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX L 0-1 (11 inns) King (3-0) Evans (1-2) None ESPN+ 314 18-19 9-7May 2 at UT Arlington Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX L 4-5 Wong (3-1) Barkley (5-3) King (2) ESPN+ 314 18-20 9-8May 2 at UT Arlington Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX L 0-3 Moffat (4-3) DeCooman (0-3) Austin (2) ESPN+ 314 18-21 9-9May 7 at Sam Houston State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX W 5-3 Barkley (6-3) Dillard (1-4) None 462 19-21 May 8 at Sam Houston State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX L 4-9 Wesneski (2-1) Funk (1-5) Atkinson (2) 462 19-22 May 9 at Sam Houston State Don Sanders Stadium • Huntsville, TX L 4-8 Backhus (4-0) Weatherley (2-1) None 462 19-23 May 12 at No. 18 Ole Miss Swayze Field • Oxford, MS L 4-9 Miller (1-1) Wallner (0-2) None SECN+ 6,703 19-24 May 14 Appalachian State Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR L 1-2 Tuthill (4-5) Barkley (6-4) None ESPN+ 329 19-25 9-10May 15 Appalachian State Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR W 4-2 Funk (2-5) Cornatzer (1-2) Barkley (7) ESPN+ 378 20-25 10-10May 16 Appalachian State Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR L 0-5 Tujetsch (1-5) Weatherley (2-2) Ellington (4) ESPN+ 271 20-26 10-11May 20 at Georgia State Georgia State Baseball Complex • Decatur, GA W 7-3 Arnold (7-3) Jones (1-7) None 239 21-26 11-11May 21 at Georgia State Georgia State Baseball Complex • Decatur, GA L 0-5 Dawson (3-2) Funk (2-6) Watson (1) 278 21-27 11-12May 22 at Georgia State Georgia State Baseball Complex • Decatur, GA L 10-11 Brandon (1-2) Barkley (6-5) Watson (2) 351 21-28 11-13 Postseason (0–2) (0–2) Date Opponent Seed/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament recordMay 25 vs. (6E) Coastal Carolina Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL L 1-15 (7 inns) Peavyhouse (3-2) Arnold (7-4) Joyce (1) ESPN+ 21-29 0-1May 27 vs. (1E) South Alabama Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL L 2-6 Michael (5-0) Evans (1-3) None ESPN+ 21-30 0-2 Schedule source: *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.
Postseason
Conference accolades Player of the Year: Mason McWhorter – GASO Pitcher of the Year: Hayden Arnold – LR Freshman of the Year: Garrett Gainous – TROY Newcomer of the Year: Drake Osborn – LA Coach of the Year: Mark Calvi – USA
All Conference First Team Connor Cooke (LA) Hayden Arnold (LR) Carlos Tavera (UTA) Nick Jones (GASO) Drake Osborn (LA) Robbie Young (APP) Luke Drumheller (APP) Drew Frederic (TROY) Ben Klutts (ARST) Mason McWhorter (GASO) Logan Cerny (TROY) Ethan Wilson (USA) Cameron Jones (GSU) Ben Fitzgerald (LA)
All Conference Second Team JoJo Booker (USA) Tyler Tuthill (APP) Jeremy Lee (USA) Aaron Barkley (LR) BT Riopelle (CCU) Dylan Paul (UTA) Travis Washburn (ULM) Eric Brown (CCU) Grant Schulz (ULM) Tyler Duncan (ARST) Parker Chavers (CCU) Josh Smith (GSU) Andrew Miller (UTA) Noah Ledford (GASO)
References:
References