Baseball 2/10/2016 2:57:00 PM

UWA Dips to No. 9 in National Poll, Hosts ECU in Four-Game Series

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – After winning two of three games at Palm Beach Atlantic to open the season, the West Alabama baseball team dropped one spot to No. 9 in this week's d2baseballnews.com top 30 national poll.

The Tigers, currently No. 2 in the NCAA South Region, begin the home portion of their 2016 season with a four-game series against East Central (Okla.) Oklahoma Thursday at Tartt Field. UWA and ECU will play single games on Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m. and a doubleheader Saturday at noon.

Tampa is ranked No. 1 both nationally and in the South Region. Other GSC teams in the top 30 are West Georgia (4-0) at No. 20 and Valdosta State (4-2) at No. 29.

West Alabama will send right-hander Jorge Cruz (0-0, 1.80) to the mound for the opening game of the ECU series. Left-hander Josh Jones (1-0, 0.00) will toe the pitching rubber on Friday, with lefty Evan Anderson (1-0, 1.50) and righty Evan Miller (0-0, 4.50) scheduled to start the doubleheader on Saturday.

Five Tiger regulars came out of the three-game series at Palm Beach Atlantic hitting .333 or better. Centerfielder Nick Delgado was 7-for-11 (.636) against the Sailfish, followed by third baseman Mitch Holgate (.500), rightfielder Jake Bush (.400), designated hitter Davis Aiken (.364) and shortstop Dylan Little (.333).

There is also a new twist to the seventh inning stretch this season. In an effort to raise funds to help defray the medical expenses for former Tiger pitcher Brock Ward as he continues to win his battle against cancer, West Alabama baseball is offering "Tosses for Brock" during the seventh inning stretch of every home game this season.

Students selling tennis balls for $1 each will be passing among the decks so Tiger fans can chip in and possibly win valuable Major League Baseball prizes at the end of the season. Every person who manages to land a ball and make it stay in the hula hoops around the outfield will be registered to win baseballs and jerseys autographed by Major League players during the last series of the regular season.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Brock Ward: RHP; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#8 Jake Bush: OF; 5' 10"; Senior; L/L

#18 Jorge Cruz: RHP; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#5 Nick Delgado: OF; 5' 9"; Junior; R/R

#23 Mitch Holgate: 3B; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#9 Josh Jones: LHP; 5' 10"; Senior; L/L

#1 Davis Aiken: OF; 5' 9"; Junior; L/R

#27 Dylan Little: SS; 6' 1"; Junior; L/R

#34 Evan Miller: RHP; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#7 Brock Ward
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#8 Jake Bush
: 5' 10"; Senior; L/L
: OF

#18 Jorge Cruz
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

#5 Nick Delgado
: 5' 9"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#23 Mitch Holgate
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: 3B

#9 Josh Jones
: 5' 10"; Senior; L/L
: LHP

#1 Davis Aiken
: 5' 9"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#27 Dylan Little
: 6' 1"; Junior; L/R
: SS

#34 Evan Miller
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: RHP