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For Immediate Release 13 February 2002
WALNUT
RIDGE, Ark. – Southwest Baptist’s baseball team
will open the 2003 season with a nine-inning game on Friday,
Feb. 14 at Williams Baptist College. The Bearcats will then
travel to Searcy, Ark. on Saturday, Feb. 15 for a twinbill
which is scheduled for a noon start.
The Bearcats enter the season after going 9-36 overall. SBU
was 5-24 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
play in 2002.
Returning to the SBU roster is Gus Marsala. The senior leads
all returners for 2003 after batting .322 in 146 at bats in
2002. Marsala led the team with 17 doubles and was second
in homeruns with seven. He had 47 hits and 27 runs last season.
When the 6-2 native of Buffalo was not at third base last
season, he had a 2-3 record on the mound. He had a 6.82 ERA
which was second on the team.
The pitcher who started the most games for the Bearcats in
2002 returns to this year’s squad. Senior Ryan Letterman
started 11 games last season and finished with a 1-9 record.
He had a 10.96 ERA and allowed the second most hits on the
team last season (87).
Williams Baptist has played two of their five dates scheduled
this season. Their last three scheduled dates have been snowed
out, but they are 1-3 after losing a twinbill to Harding on
Feb. 1 and splitting with Henderson State on Feb. 4. WBC lost
to Harding, 1-0 and 2-0. The Eagles won the first game against
HSU 2-1 before losing 9-4 in the nightcap.
Harding enters the weekend with a 4-2 record and are 2-0 at
home. The Buffalos are coming off a 13-inning 6-5 loss at
Arkansas State. The teams other loss was at the hands of West
Florida in Pensacola on Feb. 8, 10-5. However, HU defeated
West Florida the previous day, 3-1 and 4-2.
HU is led this season by Matthew Smith who is batting .289
in 18 at bats. He is tied for the team lead with seven hits
with Jake Kirby. Kirby has been to the plate 19 times and
is averaging .368 this season. Sean Camilleri leads the team
with three RBI.
The Buffalo pitching staff is led by Michael Hoggard who has
seen 3.1 innings of action. He has a 0.00 ERA. Aaron Gurley
has seen the most action, throwing in 14.0 innings and is
1-0. He has a 1.29 ERA and has allowed only two earned runs
in 41 at bats.
The team is averaging .237 at the plate and has a 2.74 ERA.
Last season, the Buffalos were 32-17 overall and 14-9 in Gulf
South Conference play.
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