TARLETON (Interstat) — Tarleton State (31-16) hosts Texas-Rio Grande Valley (24-25) in the second game of a three-game series at 6 p.m. Saturday at Tarleton Baseball Complex.

The Texans won Friday’s series opener, improving to 2-2 against the Vaqueros this season. First pitch Saturday is under clear skies with a temperature of 73 degrees.

Tarleton State enters on a five-game winning streak, all on the road. The Texans swept a three-game set at Utah Tech from May 1-3, then returned home to face the Vaqueros.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rayner Heinrich, a center fielder/left fielder for Tarleton State, has been the Texans’ most consistent hitter during the surge. Over his past five starts, Heinrich is 9-for-18 (.500) with two home runs and eight RBIs. He went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in Sunday’s 10-8 win at Utah Tech, and followed with a 3-for-5, one-homer, two-RBI performance Saturday.

Andrew Taylor, Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s designated hitter, provides the Vaqueros’ primary power threat. Taylor went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs on Tuesday in a 13-7 win at Abilene Christian. He has reached base in four of his past five games and has driven in runs in three of those appearances.

RECENT FORM

The Vaqueros have won four of their past five games, including a sweep of Incarnate Word and the midweek victory over Abilene Christian. Right-hander Robert Bonilla threw four scoreless innings in that win, striking out six.

Tarleton State has won nine of its past 11 games. The Texans’ only recent losses came April 21 at Texas Tech and April 28 at Texas A&M.

PROJECTIONS

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-6 Tarleton State victory. However, the same analytics system gives Texas-Rio Grande Valley a 51.3 percent probability of winning, reflecting the projected narrow margin and the potential for an upset.

SERIES NOTE

The three-game series concludes Sunday at Tarleton Baseball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.