The Southwest Tennessee Community College baseball team will host Chattanooga State Community College this weekend for a three-game conference series at Tony Gagliano Memorial Field. Games times will be 4:00 p.m. on Friday (single game) and noon on Saturday (doubleheader.) The Saluqis are currently 22-18 overall and 7-10 (tied for 7th) in the Tennessee Junior and Community College Athletic Association, while Chattanooga State enters this weekend with a 14-13 overall record and a 11-7 record (third place) in the TJCCAA. Prior this season, Southwest and Chattanooga State have not met during the regular season. The Saluqis defeated the Tigers 13-6 in the second round of last year's TJCCAA/Region VII Tournament in Columbia, Tennessee.

Southwest enters this weekend ranking second in the TJCCAA with a 3.72 team earned run average and fourth with a .311 batting average. After last Saturday's win over Walters State, freshman Charlie Ligon may move into the Saluqis' starting rotation this weekend. Ligon, a 6'5" righthander from Munford, pitched 5-1/3 innings in relief, allowing only one hit and no earned runs against Walters. On the season, Ligon leads the team with a 1.62 earned run average and has struck out 19 batters in 16-2/3 innings. Other probable pitchers Southwest include freshmen righthanders Michael Steele (4-3, 4.62 ERA), Jamie Carrico (3-3, 2.27 ERA), and Russell Wren (3-2, 3.60 ERA.) Freshman catcher/designated hitter Nick Smith leads the Saluqis in hitting with a .377 average, 11 doubles, six home runs, and 42 runs batted in. Other top hitters for Southwest are freshman catcher/designated hitter Jacob Whisenhunt (.355, two home runs, 31 RBI), sophomore first baseman Jacob Barker (.333, 21 RBI), sophomore infielder/outfielder Brandon Doss (.333, 15 stolen bases), and sophomore centerfielder Patrick Williams (.328, 19 stolen bases.)