The University of West Alabama baseball team used 11 hits and some timely hitting to record a 12-6 college baseball victory over William Carey Wednesday at a frigid Tartt Field with a chilling wind blowing off Lake LU.

The victory improves the Tigers to 3-1 with a three-game series against Georgia Southwestern starting Friday at Tartt Field. First pitch is 5 p.m. The Crusaders dropped to 2-2.

William Carey struck first, using three hits to push across two runs in the top of the first inning. After not scratching in the bottom of the first, the Tigers used two hits, three bases on balls and a hit batter to answer with six runs in the second.

Mitch Holgate drove in two runs with a double and Tanner Rainey two more with a single to highlight the six-run explosion. UWA scored single runs in the third and fifth before icing the game away with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after the Crusaders had cut the lead to 8-6.

“We did a good job offensively in some tough conditions,” UWA head coach Gary Rundles said after managing as the wind chill dipped to 31 degrees during the game. “Sometimes its difficult to do the things you want to do in this kind of weather, but it’s the same for everybody and I am proud of how our guys are playing.”

Jack Cockrum went 2-for-3 and walked to reach three times for the Tigers. Holgate had a pair of hits and drive in three runs. Jocobby Robinson had a hit and coaxed three walks to drive in two more Tiger runs.

One of six pitchers used by West Alabama, Steven Glascow (1-0) worked 2.1 innings of middle relief to pick up the UWA pitching win. He allowed a run, two hits and struck out three. William Carey starter Hunter Phillips (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, on just one hit.

Crusader catcher Michael Wells went 4-for-5 with four RBI to lead the William Carey offensive attack. Vito Perno chipped in three hits and Jimmy Ferguson two.