Ouachita BaptisT Tigers
Gulf South Conference |
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After a school record of 50 wins, including
18 conference victories last year, the Ouachita Baptist Tigers
have positioned themselves to be a team to beat in 2008.  As
it stands, OBU is currently sitting #2 in the Ping!Baseball
rankings and have posted an impressive record of 23-3. Pretty
amazing considering the Tigers were once the doormats of the
Gulf South Conference, averaging less than 10 wins a year
at the turn of the century with an abysmal 7-40 record just
five years ago.
The Tigers have remarkably improved in each
of Head Coach Scott Norwood's (no, not the "wide right"
kicker) three season at OBU. Norwood’s success shouldn't
be a surprise, as he built himself a reputation for turning
programs around and installing winning traditions. In his
first coaching position Norwood helped turn the University
of Indianapolis program into a national contender. Next he
turned around a Mercyhurst Laker team from hum drum 19 game
winners to a 26-18 record in one season. For an encore he
jumpstarted the Sterling College hardball program and won
back-to-back Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC)
tournament championships as well as set the school record
for wins all three years he was there. The winning traditions
have continued at Ouachita as the Tiger skipper has built
a powerhouse in Arkadelphia, Arkansas boasting a 130-64 record
in his short, but sweet tenure as the head coach.
Between the lines OBU returned 17 players,
but only four position players and has depended heavily on
an experienced group of seniors. The loss of Jeremy Haworth,
last season’s Gulf South Conference West Division Player
of the Year, and Chance Beasley, the 2007 South Central Region
Player of the Year, may have been too much for many teams
to overcome, however those losses, have only made room for
new leaders in the 2008 season. Catchers Jim Streicher (.492,
3, 14) and Chandler Boyce (.333, 1, 14), OF/1B Justin Pennel
(.369, 4, 23) and 1B Destin Makonnen (.291, 10, 27) have filled
in perfectly at the plate. As a team, the Tigers have dominated
their opponents batting a hearty .336 average with 33 homeruns
and 179 RBI.
 Offense
doesn't win championships alone though. All great teams need
to be well balanced with a strong pitching staff and that's
just what the Tigers have to offer. The Tigers return four
starting pitchers in seniors Zach Wilbanks (1-0 9.20 ERA)
and Steve Smith (3-1 1.88 ERA), junior Patrick Lemmond (8
saves), and sophomore Alex Smith (2-0 2.35 ERA). The big surprise
this year, though, has to be junior transfer Jarod Hershberger.
The righty has posted a perfect 6-0 record with an incredible
0.98 ERA.
The offensive numbers have proven tough to
beat and when you add the more than impressive pitching that
the Tigers have exhibited this season, it makes for a probable
championship run. It will be a tough road, but OBU has put
themselves in position to compete with Mount Olive, Tampa,
and a host of others this year in the Division II College
World Series. In fact, the Tigers' only concern this year
may be holding on to one of the more talented coaches in college
baseball.
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