Box Score ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Ouachita Tigers scored 11 runs on 13 hits and 2015 GAC Pitcher of the Year
Connor Eller earned his ninth win of the season with his seventh complete game of the year as the Tigers defeated Arkansas Tech 11-3.
Justin Weigle and
Jace Melby each drove in two runs for the Tigers. Ouachita improved to 5-0 against Tech this season.
Eller (9-2) cruised through the first eight innings, allowing only two hits and no runs. He walked his first batter in the top of the ninth, the only inning that Tech touched Eller. The Tiger right-hander had a no-hitter through the first 4.2 innings of play.
Offensively, the Tigers got started in the third, after drawing a leadoff walk,
Drew Feuerbacher scored on a sacrifice bunt by
Justin Weigle to make it a 1-0 game.
Jace Melby followed with a two-run homer to left, giving the Tigers 3-0 lead after the third.
Tiger freshmen
Kyle Alexander and
Jakahari Howell each had two hits on the day and combined for three runs. In the bottom of the sixth, Howell singled to center field and advanced to third on a Tech error. The error also allowed Alexander to score.
Parker Norris doubled home Howell to make it a 5-0 lead for Ouachita after the sixth.
The Tigers blew the game wide open in the seventh inning, scoring six runs on four hits and four Tech errors. Melby scored on a single to right by
Will Wallace. Wallace scored on a single by
Tyler Faught. With two outs, Norris hit a ball sharply to third. It went through the legs of the Tech third baseman and was misplayed in the outfield. The two errors allowed Norris to reach second and score Feuerbacher and Faught. Weigle singled through the right side to score Norris and give the Tigers an 11-0 lead going into the eighth.
Tech would score three on a homerun to left center in the top of the ninth, but Eller and the Tigers defense were able to turn the game-ending double play and give Ouachita the win. This marks the second straight year that the Tiers have defeated the Wonderboys to open the GAC Championships.
The Tigers will play tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. versus the winner of tonights game between Henderson State and Harding.
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