ADA – The East Central University baseball team is heading into the final two weeks of regular-season action and will hit the road for a key Great American Conference series at Southern Arkansas, April 19-20. The Tigers (20-15, 10-9 GAC) are fighting to earn their first trip to a GAC Tournament, as they are currently tied for fifth in the standings, with six teams making the trip to Enid. A single game is set for 6 p.m., Sunday, April 19 and a double-header for noon, Monday, Apirl 20.
ECU is tied for fifth with arch rival Southeastern Oklahoma State, who they will face in the final week of play. The race for the six spots in the 2015 GAC Tournament is tight, with no team from the conference having claimed a spot in the tournament yet.
The Muleriders are currently 29-14 overall and 15-9 (third) in the GAC after going 2-1 last weekend against Southeastern. Carver Rademacher and Billy Germaine are the top offensive producers for SAU. Rademacher has a .350 average, 22 runs, 48 hits and 34 RBIs, while Germaine adds a .321 average, 42 runs, 45 hits and 44 RBIs.
The Muleriders have two key pitchers that have combined for over 150 innings of work. Landon Simpson has a 6-4 record, allowing 71 hits and 29 runs and striking out 57. Preston Gray adds a 6-3 mark, 82 hits and 42 runs allowed and 52 Ks.
In 2014, the Tigers went 2-1 against SAU at Ken Turner Field. Senior
Luc Pomales led the team with a .667 average, two runs, six hits and two RBIs. Senior
Nick Spini, who recently ended a 27-game hitting streak, added five hits, one run, one RBI and a.500 average.
Chase Harvey leads the Mulerider returners with a .429 average, two runs and three hits. Timothy Buchanan is the lone returning pitchers, with five hits and runs allowed and five strikeouts.
Since 1999, the all-time series with SAU has been heavily in favor of the Muleriders at 7-26. The teams have played just nine times as GAC opponents (3-6) and most of the games have been contested in Magnolia, with ECU holding a 2-15 mark on the road.
The Tigers will then prepare for their final non-conference game of the season, Tuesday, April 21 at Oklahoma Christian. The Eagles are 24-14 overall and 10-8 in the Heartland Conference and will face St. Mary's this weekend at home before hosting ECU.
