LIVINGSTON, Ala. - After a brief stay at the Gulf South Conference Tournament, the six-seeded University of West Alabama baseball team will look to reset and refocus as postseason play continues this week in the NCAA Division II South Regional.
The Tigers will open regional action against third-seeded Rollins College on Thursday at the University of Tampa Baseball Field in Tampa. First pitch time is set for 4:00 PM CT as West Alabama begins its pursuit of another deep NCAA Tournament run.
The Tigers enter the regional with a 34-15 overall record after finishing first in the Gulf South Conference regular-season standings at 23-10 in league play, earning the GSC Regular Season Championship. Despite being eliminated early from the conference tournament, West Alabama remained nationally respected throughout the season thanks to one of the top pitching staffs in Division II baseball.
UWA currently ranks fifth nationally in ERA (3.83), 12th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.38), and tied for 13th in WHIP (1.35). The Tigers have relied on consistent starting pitching and timely offense throughout the year while also producing 43 home runs and batting .292 as a team.
Leading the offensive charge has been centerfielder
Rashad Robinson, who is hitting .318 with 12 home runs, 54 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. Robinson has posted a team-best 1.058 OPS and has been one of the Tigers' most explosive players at the top of the lineup.
Infielder
Nick Wilson has also been a steady force offensively, batting .332 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs, while outfielder
Hudson Walburn enters the postseason with 42 RBIs and seven home runs of his own.
West Alabama's lineup has featured depth all season, with players like
Kyle Blevins,
Layth Holiday, and
Wayne Wilkerson providing production throughout the order.
On the mound, the Tigers are expected to lean heavily on their starting trio of
Blake Westry,
Colin Woodham, and
Baker Green.
Westry enters the tournament with an 8-1 record and a 2.24 ERA across 64.1 innings pitched, while Woodham has posted a 3.03 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 65.1 innings. Green has logged a team-high 69 innings this season and recorded 46 strikeouts in 14 starts.
Out of the bullpen, relievers
Tyler Pierce and
Thomas Kerby have been key late-game contributors. Pierce owns six saves and a 2.00 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .133 batting average.
Awaiting the Tigers will be a Rollins squad that enters the postseason ranked No. 11 nationally with a 34-14 overall record and a 22-8 mark in Sunshine State Conference play.
Like West Alabama, the Tars have been dominant on the mound this season, ranking fourth nationally in ERA (3.82), 10th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.33), and ninth in WHIP (1.32).
Offensively, Rollins is led by Collin Hughes, who is batting .405 with 62 hits and a .521 on-base percentage. Matthew Mateo adds nine home runs and 40 RBIs, while Joey Rubin and Michael Furry have combined for 13 home runs and 67 RBIs.
The Tars' pitching rotation has been anchored by Brett Dennis and Noah Greenseid, who have combined for 12 wins and 118 strikeouts this season.
Historically, Rollins has held the edge in the all-time series, leading West Alabama 5-1 in the previous six meetings. The last matchup between the two programs came during the 2013 season in Winter Park, Florida, where the Tars won two of three games.
Despite the recent history, the Tigers enter the regional battle-tested after navigating one of the nation's toughest conferences throughout the spring. With their postseason hopes still alive, West Alabama will now look to regroup and make another run on the national stage.
The winner of Thursday's matchup will advance further into the NCAA South Regional bracket, while the loser will face elimination pressure for the remainder of the tournament.
