MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Mike Schmitt’s career-high, 13 strikeout performance wasn’t enough as the 12^th-ranked University of West Alabama baseball team fell to 22^nd-ranked Ouachita Baptist 7-1 in the late game of the 2008 Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament. UWA (44-10) will face North Alabama on Sunday, May 4, in an elimination game at 4:15 p.m.

Schmitt (9-2) pitched seven innings of action, as the Cheyenne, Wyo.-product surrendered four runs on five hits in the contest.

After Jim Streicher tied the contest 1-1 with a single to right center that scored Blake Lockwood in the sixth inning, Destan Makonnen hit a two-run homerun to right field, plating Rudy Jovanovski and giving OBU a 3-1 lead after 5 ½ innings of play. Makonnen added to the run lead in the eighth inning, as he doubled off the right field wall, pushing Streicher and Justin Pennell across the dish. Makonnen later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Chandler Boyce followed by a Drew Maus single to right field that scored Chad Taylor.

Chris Ransburgh, who led off the bottom of the third with a double off the left field wall, scored on a throwing error by OBU starter Steve Smith, as he tried to throw out Jake DeRoy on a sacrifice bunt.

Patrick Sorrells and Cole Thornton each pitched in relief for the Tigers. Sorrells threw one inning, allowing three runs on four hits with a strikeout, while Thornton tossed the final inning, recording a strikeout.

Sunday’s contest will be aired on 104.9-FM and athletics.uwa.edu. Check athletics.uwa.edu and www.gulfsouthconference.org for all the latest in the GSC Baseball Tournament.