SHAWNEE, Okla. - Connor Eller went the distance in an extra-inning affair in the first game of a doubleheader at Oklahoma Baptist on Friday. A pair of home runs by Ty Owens and Preston Speers aided Eller in giving the Ouachita Tigers a 3-1 win to open the series. Oklahoma Baptist would escape game two with a 4-3 win to even the series at one game apiece.

In game one, Oklahoma Baptist (26-14, 16-11) took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Starting pitcher Connor Eller (4-5) allowed only three hits through the first four innings to keep the Bison in check. In the top of the fifth, Ty Owens homered over the left field to tie the game at 1-1. It was Owens third homerun of the season. 

Eller did not allow another Bison base runner until the bottom of the seventh. After opening the inning with a strikeout, Oklahoma Baptist's Heath singled to center. The Bison followed that with a double to center field and Heath headed for home to break the tie. Jakahari Howell's throw from center hit his cutoff man and Justin Weigle gunned down Heath at home to preserve the tie. 

The score remained tied until the top of the tenth inning. Austin White reached first to lead off the inning and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Will Hopkins. Preston Speers followed with a two-run blast over the wall in left, giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead. Eller struck out two of the four batters he faced in the bottom of the inning and Ouachita prevailed 3-1. 

Eller went all ten innings, allowing one run on only five hits. He struck out seven and walked one. This was Eller's fourth complete game this season. Preston Speer's three-run homer was his fourth of this season. 

In game two, Ouachita (12-27, 8-18) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Justin Weigle singled through the left side of the infield to score Victor Draijer. Oklahoma Baptist scored all four of the runs in the bottom of the first, three coming off a homerun. 

The Tigers clawed their way back in, scoring one run in the second and third innings. Ty Owens doubled to left in the top of the second to score Preston Speers. Justin Weigle hit a solo homerun in the top of the third to cut the Bison lead to one. Wiegle's solo shot was his third of the year. 

Starter Connor Reed kept Oklahoma Baptist in check after the first inning, but the Tigers could manage only two hits after the thri inning. Reed went the distance for Ouachita, allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out six in six innings and walked only two. 

The two teams will face off in the rubber match of the series. The game is tentatively scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.