LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Ranked for the first time this season and off to the best start in program history, No. 25 West Alabama baseball opens Gulf South Conference play this weekend as it hosts Mississippi College at Tartt Field.
The three-game series begins with a doubleheader on Friday, February 13, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. Game two will follow at approximately 5 p.m. The series concludes Saturday, February 14, with a single game scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Tigers enter conference play at 7-0, the first time in school history UWA has opened a season with seven straight victories. West Alabama is ranked No. 25 in the latest Perfect Game Division II Top 25 Poll and has been dominant in all phases through the first two weeks of the season.
A Balanced and Explosive Offense
UWA is hitting .310 as a team with a .466 on-base percentage and .478 slugging percentage, scoring 74 runs in seven games. The Tigers have tallied 72 hits, eight home runs, and 53 walks while going 14-for-15 on stolen base attempts.
Nick Wilson leads the charge offensively, batting .464 with three home runs and 13 RBI while posting a 1.380 OPS. Then recently awarded GSC Play of the Week, Rashad Robinson has been equally dangerous, hitting .423 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and five stolen bases. Hudson Walburn (.360) and Hayes Alford (.571 OBP) have provided consistent production at the top and middle of the lineup, while Peyton Moss has been electric in limited action, hitting .500 with a 1.636 OPS and seven RBI.
The Tigers' ability to get on base and create pressure has been a major factor early in the season, with multiple players contributing across the lineup.
Dominant on the Mound
West Alabama's pitching staff has been just as impressive, posting a 2.10 team ERA and a 1.07 WHIP while holding opponents to a .200 batting average. UWA has struck out 53 batters in 60 innings and allowed just 14 earned runs.
Thomas Kerby leads the staff with a 0.79 ERA and a 2-0 record in 11.1 innings, limiting opponents to a .135 average. Blake Westry (1.17 ERA) and Baker Green (1.50 ERA) have provided quality starts, while Luke Clanahan, Tyler Pierce, Camden Lyke, and several relievers have yet to allow an earned run. The Tigers have also recorded two saves and showcased depth throughout the bullpen.
Defensively, UWA has posted a .976 fielding percentage with just six errors in seven games, turning four double plays and playing clean baseball behind its pitching staff.
Scouting Mississippi College
Mississippi College enters the weekend at 4-4 overall. The Choctaws are hitting .248 as a team with four home runs and 30 RBI through eight games.
Alex Johnson leads MC offensively, batting .333 with three home runs and a 1.142 OPS. Creek Robertson (.320) and Cade Gadman (.308) have also been key contributors in the lineup.
On the mound, the Choctaws carry a 6.49 team ERA and allow opponents to hit .270. Caleb Peterson (3.48 ERA) and Coby Gollott (1.50 ERA) headline the pitching staff, while Dylan Cope has recorded a save and holds a 1.93 ERA.
Series History
Mississippi College leads the all-time series 76-38, but the Tigers have been strong at home in recent years, holding a 14-5 record in the last 19 meetings in Livingston. UWA has also won the last two matchups against the Choctaws in the Gulf South Conference Tournament.
With national recognition, a perfect record, and conference play set to begin, the Tigers will look to defend their home field and continue their historic start as GSC competition gets underway this weekend at Tartt Field.
