March 1, 2007

CANYON, Texas - After a four-game sweep at the hands of the Lone Star Conference North Division preseason favorite, Central Oklahoma, the West Texas A&M baseball team will look for its home turf to serve as a turning point this weekend. The Buffs (2-9) will host East Central (3-8) in a four-game series starting Friday at Potter County Memorial Stadium. First pitch for Friday is set for 1 p.m.

ECU, who comes into the game winless on the road at 0-4, has hit only .248 as a team. The Tigers' pitching staff ranks 11th in the Lone Star Conference with a squad earned run average of 12.25, allowing 106 earned run in 78 innings of work.

Despite falling in all four games at UCO last weekend, WTAMU is still hitting .298 as a team, led by junior third baseman Brian Schupp. The Prosper, Texas, native went 9-14 (.643) against the Bronchos and is leading the Buffs in batting average (.452), hits (42), doubles (4) and RBI (11). Following Schupp is junior Coby Corley who is hitting .414 on the season. Corley started for WTAMU at four different positions against UCO, seeing time at second base, shortstop, left field and right field.

On the mound, the Buffs are led by junior southpaw Bart Cannon (2-1) and senior lefty Jessie Rodriguez (0-3), who have 19 strikeouts apiece. Though his record doesn't show it, Rodriguez has pitched well for WTAMU, dropping two of his three decisions in one-run ball games.

WTAMU can take the lead in the all-time series against ECU with a sweep of the series, as the Tigers hold the series advantage 10-7. The Buffs won the season series last year by taking three out of four from the Tigers last March.

After hosting ECU this weekend, WTAMU will hit the road for a single game at Wayland Baptist in Plainview on March 6, before continuing to Tahlequah, Okla., for a LSC crossover series with Northeastern State on March 9-10.