ADA – The East Central University baseball team will continue their five-game road trip, starting Friday, April 3 when they travel to face Southern Nazarene.  The Tigers and the Crimson Storm will play a three-game Great American Conference series April 3-4, with a single game set for Friday at 1 p.m. and a double-header Saturday starting at 1 p.m.  The final game of the road trip will be a non-conference game at Oklahoma Baptist, Tuesday, April 7 at 6 p.m.

SNU comes into this weekend's games with a 6-19 overall record and a 4-14 mark in the GAC after defeating Oklahoma Baptist (No. 8 NAIA) 4-3 on Monday.  Gaige Webster is the lead for the Crimson Storm at the plate with a .302 average, 20 runs, 26 hits and 11 RBIs.  Anthony Wiggins has the most wins on the mound, with a 2-4 record in 35.1 innings of work.  He has allowed 58 hits and 38 runs while striking out 21.

Last year, the Tigers swept SNU in the three-game GAC series at home.  Senior Andrew Ayrado led ECU with a .571 average, two runs, four hits and one RBI.  Seniors Ariel Adut and Bryce McKee also had strong series, with .500 batting averages.  Senior Oscar Gomez earned one of the wins on the mound, throwing six innings.  Gomez allowed seven hits and three runs and struck out five.

Dillon Feland is the top returner for the Crimson Storm, with a .333 average, three hits and one run scored.  Thomas Solowynsky is the only returning pitcher who saw action against the Tigers, throwing six innings, allowing six hits and three runs and striking out three.

Since 1999, the all-time series with SNU stands at 4-8, with a 3-3 mark when playing as GAC opponents.  However, the Tigers have not done well in Bethany, with a 0-5 mark in the series.

Oklahoma Baptist is currently ranked No. 8 in the NAIA ranks and 30-4 overall and 9-2 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.  However, they will play five games before hosting the Tigers Tuesday.  Joey Szczepanski is the top producer for the Bison, with a .431 average, 29 hits, 53 runs and 36 RBIs for the year.  Kelvin Rivas and Taylor Hearn are both 6-0 on the mound.  Rivas has thrown 48.2 innings, allowed 28 hits and 11 runs and struck out 76.  Hearn has seen action in 34 innings, allowing 21 hits and 18 runs, while striking out 38.

The teams have played each other already this season, with Oklahoma Baptist earning a 5-14 win at Ken Turner Field back on Feb. 10.  Senior Luc Pomales led ECU with three hits and an RBI, while senior Nick Spini added two hits and two runs.  Sophomore Jake Wellington suffered the loss, with one inning of work.  Junior Quentin McGrath threw five innings for the Tigers, allowing five hits and three runs and striking out two.

Jeff Ricker led the Bison, with four hits, two runs and one RBI.  Nathan Thompson earned the win in six innings of work.  He allowed six hits and two runs, while striking out six.