LIVINGSTON, Ala. -- The third-ranked University of West Alabama baseball team notched its sixth straight victory on Wednesday afternoon, as the Tigers (20-4) turned back Columbia Union 10-6 at Tartt Field.

After two scoreless innings, UWA placed two runs across the board in the third inning. Jeremy Finney singled to score Jake DeRoy, who led the inning off with a walk and stole second. One batter later Rob Dahlberg singled to left field and later stole second with one out. Following a Tres Avans single to left field, Nick Wheeler hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Dahlberg. The Red and White held the 2-0 lead until the fifth inning, when CUC (4-5) tallied its first run, cutting the score in half.

The Tigers answered in the bottom of the fifth, with five runs. Dahlberg scored on an Avans single down the right field line for the first run. With the bases loaded, Avans scored on an error by the first baseman. Brent Bumgarner then flied out to center field, scoring Wheeler. Clint Moody followed with a single to score Matt Busbee. Kevin Deese finished off the inning, scoring on a Finney single to third base.

UWA added one in the seventh and two in the eighth. Corey Houston scored on a DeRoy single up the middle in the seventh. In the eighth, Jeremy Dorrance single to score Phillip Merryman, as Dallas Rogers scored Wheeler on a single to left field.

The Pioneers closed the gap, scoring a total of five runs in the eighth and ninth.

 Josh Varner (5-0) picked up the win with six innings pitched, allowing four hits and one run with four strikeouts.

West Alabama opens conference play this weekend, as the Tigers travel to the University of Alabama in Huntsville for a three-game series. The series starts with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 15. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be carried on Y-104.9-FM and also on athletics.uwa.edu.