Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 ALVA, Okla. – Davis Ward was handed his first loss of the season on Friday, losing to the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers 4-2. The Tigers were able to win the next two games, however, 11-7 and 6-5 to take two of three games from Northwestern.
 
In game one of the series, the Tigers jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Matt Sinclair doubled to centerfield to score Chris Tavares, who reached base after being hit by a pitch. Jace Melby singled immediately after to score Sinclair from second to give the Tigers the 2-0 lead.
 
Ward earned the start for Ouachita and threw three consecutive scoreless innings to start the game. In the fourth inning, however, the Rangers scored one run on an RBI-double. Ward recorded two outs in a row after the run to escape the jam, forcing NWOSU to leave a runner on third.
 
The score stayed at 2-1 through the fifth inning, until the bottom of the sixth when the Rangers scored three to take a 4-2 lead. The two-run lead proved to be enough for Northwestern as they held the Tiger scoreless for the rest of the game.
 
Ward (5-1) pitched a complete game, giving up four runs and striking out eight. Keegan Ghidotti led the offense for Ouachita, batting 2-4 for the game.
 
Game two was an offensive showcase for the Tigers, as they recorded 11 runs on a season-high 17 hits. Northwestern started the scoring, putting up four runs in the first two innings, but OBU answered quickly and scored 11 runs over the next three innings.
 
Ouachita's offense began in the third inning when Justin Weigel, Landon Moore, Parker Norris and Ghidotti recorded four singles in a row. Ghidotti's single brought in Weigel and Moore to make the score 4-2.
 
Sean Noland led off the very next inning with a double, followed by a single by Tyler Faught. Noland then scored from third on an RBI-groundout by Weigel, and Faught scored from second on an RBI-single by Moore. A triple by Norris brought home Moore, and Norris later scored on a wild pitch. The Tigers scored four runs total in the inning to take a 6-4 lead.
 
Ouachita continued to increase their lead in the top of the fifth inning, recording five runs on five hits and one walk. All five hits were singles but came in the span of seven batters. Ghidotti's single through the right side scored two runs to bring the score to 11-4.
 
Northwestern added two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth in an attempt at a comeback, but Josh Reeves and Ghidotti came in relief for starter Luis De Jesus to end the game with the score 11-7 in favor of the Tigers.
 
De Jesus pitched five innings, giving up six runs and striking out two. Reeves threw for one inning and gave up one run, and Ghidotti pitched for one inning and struck out two.
 
Moore batted 4-4 on the game with three runs and two RBI's. Norris was 3-5 with two runs and two RBI's, and Ghidotti was 3-5 with four RBI's.
 
Game three was a back-and-forth battle until the Tigers finally won 6-5 in the 10^th inning. The Tigers scored two in the first and held a 2-1 lead until the fifth inning when the Rangers tied the score at four. Northwestern then took a 5-4 lead after scoring one run in the sixth.
 
Weigel tied the game up once again in the eighth inning on an RBI single to center field. After neither team could score in the ninth, the game went to a 10^th inning.
 
In the top of the 10^th, Sinclair started the inning with a single through the right side, and Faught later scored Sinclair on an RBI-single to left. Faught's RBI ended up being the game-winner as the Tigers held NWOSU scoreless in the bottom of the 10^th.
 
Craig Daniell earned the start in game three and threw for four and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs. Tryce Schalchlin then replaced Daniell and pitched two and one-third innings, giving up one unearned run. Kyle Matusoff pitched in the eighth and ninth innings without giving up a run while striking out three. Ghidotti then earned his fifth save of the season by pitching the tenth inning and striking out two.
 
Ghidotti batted 7-14 for the series, recording two runs and four RBI's. Norris was 5-13 and extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
 
The Tigers (13-12, 8-7 GAC) will host Southern Arkansas on Tuesday, March 18, for a midweek game beginning at 2 p.m.