West Alabama baseball ready for busy weekend

By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
March 8, 2003
LIVINGSTON The University of West Alabama baseball Tigers are going to be a busy bunch of cats over the next four days.
UWA (9-10) begins a stretch of games in which the team will compete for four straight days today, starting with a double-header at 3 p.m. today against the Ouachita Baptist Tigers.
UWA was originally scheduled to play three games against Ouachita Baptist this weekend, but because the weather has played havoc with most teams schedules to two programs decided to play back-to-back double-headers on today and Sunday.
The Lions finish the weekend series with the Tigers at 1 p.m. Sunday.
UWA finishes its packed four days of baseball action with single games against Abilene Christian on Monday and Kennesaw State on Tuesday.
The six consecutive home games are just the start of home cooking for the Tigers.
UWA's double-header against Ouachita Baptist marks the beginning of a seven-game home stand for the program.
The Tigers played nine of their first 14 scheduled contests on the road.
The opening four teams on the Tigers' home schedule will serve as a warm up for the team, as it prepares of Gulf South Conference East Division play.
UWA begins divisional play against West Georgia on March 15 with a double-header.
The intense pace over the next four days should help the Tigers prepare for the start of their 21-game division schedule.
The Tigers enter the weekend in a solid position.
UWA is one game under .500, after facing some stiff competition in February.
The Tigers opened their season against preseason No. 14-rank Southern Arkansas. UWA won one of three games against Southern Arkansas.
UWA found itself facing another powerhouse opponent in their fourth game of the year.
The Tigers traveled to Columbus, Ga., for a three-game series against defending national champion Columbus State.
UWA pulled out a 7-4 win in the two squads' third game of the series.
The Tigers went on to play Presbyterian, a team Rundles called the best in the South Atlantic Conference, in a three-game series in Clinton, S.C.
UWA again took one of three games against Presbyterian.
The Tigers rounded out their opening season schedule taking on a pair of GSC West Division powerhouses, Delta State University, which was ranked ninth in the preseason poll and selected to win the GSC title, and Henderson State University.
UWA picked up one win against DSU and one win over HSU in the four games.
The one thing UWA will try to improve before division play is its hitting.
The Tigers are batting .260 as a team entering today's game, and Rundles said several players are batting 150 points below what the are capable of doing in the batter's box.
UWA hopes to boost its offense with the return of catcher Robby Reed.
While the offense has sputtered to start the year, UWA has been getting solid performances from its pitching staff.
The Tiger hurlers are carrying a 3.93 team ERA and are allowing an average of nine hits per game.