Tuscaloosa Natives Stand Out In UWA Fall Scrimmage Series

LIVINGSTON, AL. — A pair of Tuscaloosa County natives received high praise for their performances in the University of West Alabama baseball program's best-of-five Dandy Don's World Series, which concluded Sunday at Tartt Field.

Sunday's intersquad scrimmage action saw the Wildcats win the series 3-2 over the Jungle Cats.

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Senior Landen Davis, a Sipsey Valley High School and Shelton State Community College product, went 4-for-8 for the Jungle Cats during the series and was 2-1 on the mound in four relief appearances, despite a 5.68 ERA.

Tuscaloosa County High School alum and UWA sophomore right-hander Noah Baggett was also 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in one start and one relief appearance for the Wildcats.

"Landen and Noah both had good falls and have put themselves in position to help the team this spring," UWA head coach Gary Rundles told Patch on Monday. "Landen could be called on as a reliever on the mound and also as a DH and pinch hitter with some power. Noah proved this fall that he can get college hitters out. He pounds the strike zone and pitches to contact very well. His primary responsibility will be in relief."

Junior outfielder Brayden Lyman, of Land O' Lakes, Florida, collected 10 hits, including a pair of triples and two home runs, to boost the Wildcats to a win. During the series, Lyman batted .476 in the 10-day intersquad scrimmage series, going 10-for-21 with three runs batted in, a pair of stolen bases and 1.542 OPS.

"I was very pleased with how we finished up our fall season," Rundles said. "We still have a lot of work to do but the series showed that this team has a lot of fight in them."

UWA is scheduled to open the 2021 regular season with a three-game Gulf South Conference series in Pensacola, Florida from Feb. 5-6 against West Florida.

The home opener for the Tigers is set for Feb. 12 against Mississippi College at Tartt Field.

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