ADA – After finally getting to play the first game of the season at Ken Turner Field, the East Central University baseball team will return to the road for the next four games. The Tigers (1-19, 0-12 GAC) will play a three-game Great American Conference series at Ouachita Baptist and then a non-conference mid-week game with arch rival Southeastern.
The series with the purple and gold Tigers will start with a single game, Friday, March 16 at 3 p.m. and then a double-header Saturday, March 17 starting at noon. ECU will then head to Durant, Okla., for a 2 p.m. game Tuesday, March 20.
The Tigers are currently being led by sophomore
Cale Ridling and junior
Marcus Sonnier. Ridling has a .326 average, 14 hits, nine runs and eight RBIs. Sonnier adds a .324 average, 12 hits, six runs and 10 RBIs.
Ouachita is 8-16 overall and 4-8 in the league after earning a non-conference win over Texas A&M-Texarkana on Tuesday. OUA has fared better at home, with a 5-7 record at Rab Rodgers Field.
Ouachita is being led by Louis Steen and Austin White, as the only two batters hitting over .300 on the year. Steen has a .357 average, 10 hits, five runs and six RBIs, while White is hitting .312, with 24 hits, 12 runs and 15 RBIs.
OUA has a 14-member pitching staff, with two recording over 30 innings of work. Adam Bahloul has a 1-1 record, 2.89 ERA, 27 hits and 18 runs allowed and 24 Ks in his 37.1 innings. John Franklin Matros adds a 1-2 record, 2.92 ERA, 33 strikeouts and 33 hits and 14 runs allowed in 37.0 innings.
The series with Ouachita currently stands at 17-11 in favor of OUA, including a 10-5 lead in league action and 8-6 when playing at home.
The Savage Storm are currently 10-12 overall and will face Henderson State in a three-games series and have a single game against Washburn before hosting the Tigers.
Southeastern is being led by Brett Akins at the plate, with a.342 average, 26 hits, 18 runs and 10 RBIs. Cody Nitson has seen the most time on the mound, with 34.0 innings, 24 hits and 26 runs allowed and 32 Ks, with his 1-3 record and 5.29 ERA.
The Savage Storm lead the all-time series with ECU, 52-21 overall and 23-8 when playing in Durant.
