By Mark Glenn, sports editor

Things get a little more serious for the Western Oklahoma State College baseball team this week.

The Pioneers will begin conference play when they host Carl Albert in a four game series. A 1 p.m. doubleheader is scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday.

Prior to that, Western will host Seminole Junior College in a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday.

It was Seminole that swept a doubleheader from the Pioneers on March 1. The Trojans won the first game 4-3 and the second contest 12-11.

It was the second game that Western coach Kurt Russell believes Seminole stole some signs that he feels greatly affected the outcome. Pitching coach Matt Kruse relays signs to the catcher who gives the sign to the pitcher.

Russell however said that problem has been solved.

‘Yeah we have a another system,’ Russell said.

Western goes into this week of play with an 18-3 record and a number four national ranking.

Russell said he thinks this year’s team is better than last year’s squad that went 52-12 and qualified for the World Series. Part of that is because of the pitching staff

“I think we’re better, Russell said.” I don’t think we are close to being where we going to be and I don’t want them peaking right now. I’m telling you right now that we are head over heels better on the mound than we were last year.”

One of the reason for the optimism is at the top of the rotation. Dimitri Camereno leads all starters with an earned run average of 1.73. He has struck out 26 batters in 26 innings of work.

Jeremy Penn (3-0) comes in with a 3,31 ERA and has fanned 27 batters in 16 and one-third innings.

Danny Almonte (4-0) has a 2.12 ERA and has struck out 27 in 17 innings.

Jamie Cotton had one bad outing in the second game against Seminole. That gives him a misleading 5.40 ERA. He is 4-1 on the season.

Dionidio Parades, Chris Byford and Ryan Tamez have sparkled in the bull pen.

Paredes has not given up a run in five innings. Byford (1-0, 2.31 ERA) has struck out 19 batters in 11 and two-thirds innings. Tamez is 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA.

Offensively it almost looks like a carbon copy of last year’s club.

As a team, the Pioneers are hitting .411 and all nine starters are hitting better than .300. Almonte leads the way with a.507 average.

Randolph Oduber has 11 home runs and 32 runs batted in to lead the team in both categories.

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