ARKADELPHIA- Ouachita Baptist University’s director of athletics, David Sharp, and head baseball coach, Chris Moddelmog, announced Dec. 1 the release of the upcoming 2011 baseball schedule.
The Tigers begin the 2011 season on the road against Angelo State on Feb. 1 at Fort Worth, Texas, before returning home for 15-straight games at Rab Rodgers Field.
“We have put together a very competitive schedule once again that will challenge our team every outing,” Moddelmog said. “Our players have really put in the time this fall to be a quality club that competes at 100 percent every game.”
Among the early season matchups, includes a pair of teams that finished among the final top-25 Collegiate Baseball poll in Central Missouri at No. 4 on Feb. 18 and Northern Kentucky at No. 22 on Feb. 26. Also in the mix is future Great American Conference member Southeastern Oklahoma on Feb. 8 and Gulf South Conference East opponent North Alabama on Feb. 12.
“We really like playing the top notch programs in the non-conference schedule to get us ready for the tough GSC schedule,” Moddelmog said.
After the early home stretch for Ouachita, the Tigers travel northwest to face in-state opponent Arkansas-Fort Smith in Fort Smith on March 8, before playing three non-conference games against GSC West opponents Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Arkansas and Delta State from March 12-13 in Magnolia.
As in every season, the GSC schedule will begin the weekend of spring break, as Ouachita hosts Arkansas Tech at Rab Rodgers Field on March 19, before traveling to Nashville, Tenn. during the spring break period to face NAIA-opponent Travecca Nazarene and Division I-member Belmont University on March. 22-23.
“Playing the GSC schools before conference play begins will give us a chance to see where we are early in the season,” Moddelmog believes. “We are really looking forward to playing two tough teams on spring break, as well, Division I Belmont University and Trevecca.”
The GSC portion of the schedule will continue on March 26 against Harding in Arkadelphia, folllowed by a midweek trip to Durant, Okla. to face Southeastern Oklahoma for a second time in the season, before facing cross-town rival Henderson State at Clyde Berry Field in Arkadelphia on April 2.
Ouachita continues the nine-game road trip in Russellville for a midseason non-conference game against Arkansas Tech on April 6, before making a trip to Cleveland, Miss. to face GSC West opponent Delta State on April 9.
Among the final playing dates for the Tigers includes a midweek matchup against Henderson State, followed by a trip to Magnolia to face Southern Arkansas for GSC action on April 17. The Muleriders will turn around and make the non-conference trip to Arkadelphia on April 19, before Ouachita faces Arkansas-Monticello for a weekend series beginning on April 22. To close the season, the Tigers travel to Searcy for a midweek game against Harding on April 26, before concluding the 2011 season in Memphis, Ten.. to face Christian Brothers.
“We feel like we have a lot of guys who have been through the battles of the GSC and know what it takes to help us win some close games we lost last season,” Moddelmog said. “Our leadership has been outstanding and that has made our team hungry to take things one day at a time.”
The Tigers return 17 players from a season ago, while also adding 14 players with the 2011 recruiting class. Among the class includes eight pitchers to add to an already seasoned pitching staff for Ouachita.
“We go into the season with very good depth on the mound. We have seven guys fighting for three spots on the weekend, while the players that don’t make the weekend rotation will give us solid depth in the bullpen. We return eight hitters who played a significant role on last season’s squad, and we look forward to our team being very aggressive on the bases and at the plate this season. We really like our team defensively and feel like that is the strength of our 2011 team.”
