ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Ouachita Tigers earned their first win of the season on Friday, after a game-winning single by
Jakahari Howell in the bottom of the ninth inning. Howell singled to left field, and after an error, both
Ty Owens and Howell crossed home plate, giving Ouachita the 6-5 win over the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Lions.
Both teams were held scoreless through the first four innings of the nine-inning contest, and the Lions recorded two hits in the top of the fifth but left both on base.
Connor Eller started on the mound for Ouachita, striking out five batters through the first five innings.
In the bottom of the fifth inning,
Drew Feuerbacher gave Ouachita its first hit of the game, doubling to left-centerfield.
Austin White followed with a single up the middle that allowed Feuerbacher to score from second and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (5-1) immediately responded, however, with a two-run sixth inning to take its first lead. With a runner on third and two outs, Eller picked up his sixth strikeout to send the game to the bottom of the sixth inning.
Ouachita (1-3) took its second lead in the bottom of the sixth, starting with an infield single by Howell.
Justin Weigle followed with a single of his own, and a bunt from
Will Wallace, along with an error by UAFS, allowed Howell to score and tie the game at two. Feuerbacher then added his second hit of the contest, a single to centerfield, to score Weigle and Wallace.
Clinging to a 4-2 lead, Ouachita held the Lions scoreless for the seventh and eighth innings. With
Josh Reeves in to pitch for the Tigers, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith's Alec Pender batted in three runs on a homer to right center. Reeves then picked up the final two outs of the half-inning, and Ouachita trailed 5-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
With just three outs remaining for the Tigers, Owens led off the inning with a single to right field and later reached second on a passed ball. Howell then singled to left field, and an error by Pender allowed the ball to roll to the wall. Owens was able to score, and Howell ended the game with a slide across home plate.
Eller spent 7.2 innings on the mound but did not receive a decision. He allowed two runs and struck out seven. Reeves earned his first win of the season, on 1.1 innings of work and two strikeouts.
Offensively, Howell led the Tigers with three hits and two runs. Feuerbacher recorded a team-high two RBI, and White was 2-4 with one run batted in.
The Tigers will stay at home for their next contest, as Ouachita hosts Missouri Western State on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m. Ouachita then will take on the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith again at 2 p.m.
