ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Ouachita Tigers baseball team opened their weekend home series versus East Central University with a 7-3 loss on Friday. Tiger ace Connor Eller struck out 10 batters through seven innings but did not factor in the decision.

East Central took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a ground-out RBI by JT Stevenson. They extended their lead to 2-0 with a RBI single in the top of the fourth.

Ouachita responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, when a sacrifice fly by Preston Speers scored Justin Weigle to put the Tigers on the board. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Ouachita tied the game on a Jakahari Howell RBI single to left field. Howell put the Tigers up 3-2 later in the inning, scoring on Weigle's double down the left field line.

Eller, who entered the sixth inning with six strikeouts, fanned four batters in the sixth and seventh innings. He exited the game after the seventh with a 3-2 lead, allowing five hits and allowing two runs, one earned. Eller has 23 strikeouts in his last two starts.

East Central's offense put up five runs in the final two innings to take the opener from Ouachita by a final of 7-3.

The two GAC teams return to action tomorrow at Rab Rodgers Field for a doubleheader. The first pitch of Game One is set for noon.