INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The 17^th-ranked University of West Alabama baseball team opens the second NCAA Division II South Central Region Poll ranked second, as released by the NCAA Thursday afternoon. UWA is 38-9 overall this season and 10-5 in the Gulf South Conference.

The Tigers, which are 22-7 in the region, are currently riding a three-game win streak. The Red and White have clinched a berth in the GSC Baseball Tournament, which takes place at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn. Saturday, May 3 through Wednesday, May 7.

Southern Arkansas (39-6) holds the top spot in the region poll with a 31-5 record in region play. Delta State (37-8) stays is third with a 27-8 region record. Abilene Christian (36-13) holds the fourth spot followed by Angelo State (35-16) in up to fifth. 2007’s top seed Ouachita Baptist (38-12) falls to sixth followed by Southeastern Oklahoma (30-18) in seventh and St Edward’s (31-13) rounding out the poll in eighth.

Tournament champions from the GSC and Lone Star Conferences comprise two of the six bids to the South Central Regional, May 15-18. The remaining at-large slots are awarded to the four, highest-ranked teams in the region including five squads from the Heartland Conference. The top-rated team is eligible to host the four-day Tournament, providing it placed a bid to host and have adequate facilities and accommodations for teams and fans.

West Alabama returns to action on Saturday, as the Tigers travel to Carrollton, Ga. to face GSC East Division foe West Georgia in a three-game, weekend series. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1:00 p.m.