ADA – The East Central University baseball team is headed to Grand Prairie, Texas, for the 2016 Southern Arkansas DII Classic at the Ballpark, Feb. 5-6.  The Tigers will face Washburn, Cameron and the host Muleriders in the two-day event.

2016 SAU DII Classic at the Ballpark Tournament Page

ECU will face Washburn, Friday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m., Cameron, Saturday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. and Southern Arkansas Feb. 6 at 1 p.m.

The Tigers (0-1) are the only team at the tournament to have played a game already in 2016, as they fell to Northeastern State in the season opener.  ECU was led by junior Riley Roberts, who hit .667 with two hits, one run scored and two RBIs.  Senior Casey Kenney added a .600 average, three hits and two RBIs.

On the mound, junior Dylan Sanchez earned the start, going the first 1.2 inning and striking out three.

Washburn went 33-20 in 2015 and will return its top three hitters.  Kyle Carnahan hit .371, with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs, Riley Krane hit .355 and Parker Gibson .335.  The top returning pitcher for the Ichabods is Maustin Otterstatter, who went 4-2 with a 5.47 ERA and 28 strikeouts.

Cameron was 19-29 in 2015 and has been picked fifth in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll for 2016.  The top returner for the Aggies is Jonathan Reyes, with a .306 batting average, 53 hits, 10 doubles, 19 walks and 22 RBIs. 

Devon Youngstedt and Logan Fanning both made 20 appearances for Cameron last season.  Youngstedt had a 2.70 ERA and a 2-2 record in 33.1 innings, while allowing 19 hits and 12 runs and striking out 13.  Fanning added a 3.62 ERA, 17 Ks and a 2-3 record.

Southern Arkansas was picked as the 2016 Great American Conference preseason favorite for the fifth-straight season in 2016, after finishing 40-18 overall and 20-10 in league play.  The Muleriders, who advanced to the 2015 NCAA Central Regional, are ranked #14 in the NCBWA Preseason Poll.  SAU returns three starters and seven pitchers.

The top returner at the plate is Billy Germaine, who hit .338 with 67 hits, 12 home runs, 17 doubles, 51 runs and 66 RBIs.  Trevor Rucker added a .320 average, 64 hits, seven home runs and 36 RBIs.

On the mound, Landon Simpson is the key returner.  Simpson went 10-4 last season with a 2.66 ERA and 74 strikeouts.

The meeting with the Ichabods is the first in school history, while ECU and Cameron have meet on 55 previous occasions.  The Aggies currently hold a 21-34 advantage in the series, but this will be the first time the teams have met on a neutral field.

The series with Southern Arkansas sits at 8-28 in favor of the Muleriders and again will be the first neutral site meeting and the first of four scheduled this season between the GAC opponents.