Bison to Open Baseball Season Saturday

February 3, 2005

Oklahoma Baptist University's baseball season will get started six days earlier than expected as the Bison have revised the schedule to start Saturday with Dakota Wesleyan University visiting.

Dakota Wesleyan was scheduled to play down the street in Shawnee at St. Gregory's University but we field conditions prevented the game. OBU coach Bobby Cox agreed to play the Tigers at Bison Field, which benefits from a protective tarp.

Gametime Saturday will be 1 p.m.

Tabor Woolard (4-7, 5.33 ERA) will get the start in the first game of the doubleheader for OBU, with newcomer Chris Ryan scheduled for the second game.

The Bison are ranked 22nd in the NAIA Preseason Top 25. DWU is ranked 30th. The Tigers were 33-22 last season and return their top five pitchers, including ERA leader Matt Bruzewski (5-3, 2.83), 10-game winner Robert Stockton (10-4, 3.61) and closer Ryan Myers (9 saves).

Thomas Gulledge also returns for the Tigers after leading the team in home runs (7) and RBI (41) last season.