Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Ouachita Tigers opened a three game series against Southwestern Oklahoma State with a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Rab Rodgers Field. The Tigers were outscored 12-5 in both games as they fell 4-2 and 8-3 in games one and two respectively. 

The Tigers scored first in game one with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Keegan Ghidotti opened the inning with a single and scored from second on a throwing error. Jace Melby would drive in Chris Tavares for the Tigers second run.  

Senior right-hander Davis Ward started game one for the Tigers and threw six-and-a-third scoreless innings before giving up a run on a one-out single in the seventh. He got a bases-loaded doube play to get out of the inning with a 2-1 lead. 

Ward (5-2) would give up a two-out two-run double in the top of the eighth before recording his fifth strikeout on the day. The Tigers trailed 3-2. Southwestern would take on one more run in the top of the ninth to take game one 4-2. 

It was the first home-loss of theyear for Ward. Parker Norris went 0-5 in the game, ending his 15-game hitting streak. Johnathan Johnson (4-2) got the win for the Bulldogs.
 
Luis De Jesus (4-3) started game two for the Tigers and Southwestern jumped on him early in the first inning with back-to-back rbi doubles for a 2-0 lead.

After settling down and retiring the side in inning two and facing only four batters in the third, Southwestern hit DeJesus hard in the fourth and fifth innings scoring five runs over both innings. He left the game with the Tigers trailing 7-0.

Offensivley, the Tigers had no answer for Bulldog Ethan Evans, who held the Tigers scoreless through five innings, allowing only two hits. 

The Tigers got their bats going in the bottom of the sixth, when Jace Melby hit a two-run single scoring Ghidotti and Norris to cut the Southwestern lead to five runs. 

Down 8-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Keegan Ghidotti would drive home Landon Morre with a two-out single to left. The rally would end on the next at-bat and the Tigers would fall 8-3. 

On the day, left fielder Jace Melby went 4-7 with three runs-driven-in. Melby currently has an eight-game hitting streak.

Game three of the series takes place tomorrow at Rab Rodgers Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.