The East Central University baseball team is set to open Great American Conference action this weekend when they travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., to face Ouachita Baptist. The three-game series is set for Feb. 14-15, with a single game Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. and a double-header Feb. 15 starting at noon. ECU will also face Texas Wesleyan, Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
Game Notes
The Coverage
Fans who can't be at the game can find links to live stats, live video (if available) on ECUTigers.com. Go to the baseball schedule page.
Scouting Ouachita Baptist
The other Tigers in the GAC are 4-3 overall after winning two-of-four against No. 12 Central Missouri last weekend. OBU has four wins over ranked opponents already in 2014, with two wins over No. 3 St. Edwards to start the season.
Parker Norris leads the team with a .333 batting average, four runs scored, seven hits and three RBIs. Landon Moore added a .304 average, three runs, seven hits and four RBIs. Davis Ward is the top producer on the mound, with a 2-0 record. He has a 0.00 ERA in 14 innings of action. He has allowed six hits, zero runs and struck out 12.
Against the Tigers
Last season, ECU went 1-2 against OBU at home.
Senior
Ethan Gold led ECU with a .444 batting average, three runs scored, four hits and six RBIs. Senior
Robert Buitrago went 0-1 on the rubber, with a 7.50 ERA, 14 hits allowed and four strikeouts.
Chris Tavares is the top returner for OBU with a .538 average, three runs scored, seven hits and five RBIs. Austin Watson picked up one of the pitching wins, with a 0.00 ERA, five hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Scouting Texas Wesleyan
The Rams are 3-3 on the season, with all of their games so far being at home. TWU will face Houston-Victoria Feb. 15-16 before hosting the Tigers.
Jake Howeth is the top batter for the Rams so far this season, with a .455 average. Howeth has four runs scored, 10 hits and four RBIs. Sam Martin is the top pitcher, with a 2-0 record, 0-00 ERA, two hits and one run allowed and nine strikeouts.
Batters Fanning at Flemming
Junior
Icezack Flemming has had a strong start to his Tiger career in his first two appearances. Flemming has tallied a total of 22 strikeouts and thrown two complete games. His strikeout total was bolstered with 15 against Newman. For his efforts he is currently ranked No. 1 in the GAC in strikeouts (22), No. 4 in complete games (2) and No. 9 in innings pitched (12.0).
Donohoe Sparking the Tigers
Junior
Garrett Donohoe has been a spark in the Tigers line up in 2014. Donohoe has five hits, including three doubles and a home run in his first six games. He has a .333 batting average and a .733 slugging percentage. He is currently ranked No. 3 in the league in doubles (3), slugging percentage (.733) and No. 6 in total bases (11).
Opening Weekend Pitching
Junior transfers
Lucas Kaplan and
Icezack Flemming combined for a good opening weekend for the ECU pitching staff.
Kaplan threw a complete game in the first game of the season and finished with a 1.29 ERA.
Flemming ended the second game with seven strikeouts.
GAC Preseason Poll
ECU has been retooled and is ready for the 2014 season. The Tigers have 23 newcomers on the roster and just nine returners from a season ago.
ECU will have a lot to prove, as the Tigers were picked to finish 11th (13 points) in the 2014 Great American Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches.
Southern Arkansas was a clear top choice with 100 points and 10-of-11 first-place votes. Arkansas Tech was the only other team to receive a first-place vote, finishing second with 88 points. Southwestern Oklahoma State was picked third (78 points), Arkansas-Monticello fourth (63), Henderson State fifth (61), Harding sixth (55), Ouachita Baptist seventh (50), Southeastern Oklahoma state eighth (46), Northwestern Oklahoma State ninth (25) and Southern Nazarene 10th (19).
Up Next
The Tigers will return home for four games over the next week at Tiger Field. ECU will first host Henderson State, Feb. 21-22 for three games and then battle with Hillsdale Freewill Baptist Feb. 25.
