BAKERSFIELD, Calif.--The Bakersfield baseball team (16-23, 8-7 WAC) hosts league leader Sacramento State (25-16, 12-3 WAC). Friday and Saturday's games begin at 6 p.m. with the series finale starting on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Hornets hold a two-game lead over Grand Canyon entering the weekend. The Roadrunners are tied with Utah Valley for sixth at the start of weekend play. This is the eighth and ninth times that Bakersfield and Kansas State are playing baseball. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 4-3.

Sacramento State is 25-16 after spliting a series with No. 4 Oregon State to begin the week. Hornets' closer Sutter McLoughlin has been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Mid-Season Stopper of the Year watch list, the association announced this week. McLoughlin, who was named to the preseason watch list in February, is one of 50 of the top collegiate relievers in the country named to the mid-season watch list.

With eight saves this season, McLoughlin is tied for 24th in the NCAA, despite having had just two save opportunities over Sacramento State's last 19 games. In addition to the save total McLoughlin is 3-1 this season with a 1.29 ERA over 28.0 innings pitched. McLoughlin is just one save shy of tying the career program record.

Rhys Hoskins, a 2013 All-Conference selection, is the team leader in batting (.341), home runs (8), and RBI's (35).

The Roadrunners are coming off a split at Kansas State earlier this week. Junior centerfielder Jordie Hein (Scottsdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS) enter this weekend on a 12-game hitting streak and has reached base in 13 consecutive games entering the Sac State series.

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