CLEVELAND, Miss. - Despite two home runs and four runs batted in from Preston Speers, the Ouachita Tigers dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Delta State Statesmen on Tuesday. 

Delta State (29-13), ranked 24th in the NCBWA Division II poll, took the early advantage in game one on a two-run homer. Ouachita (12-29) pulled within one, however, on Speers' solo shot in the top of the third. 

The Statesmen answered with one run in both the third and fourth innings, but the Tigers once again cut the deficit to one run in the sixth. Justin Weigle led off the inning with a double to right field, and Will Wallace followed with a double of his own to score Weigle. Later, with two outs, Speers singled to left center, scoring Wallace. 

A triple and bunt-single in the bottom-half of the sixth allowed Delta State to extend its lead to 5-3, and Ouachita was held scoreless in its final chance in the seventh after putting runners on first and second. 

Kason Kimbrell, Josh Reeves and Lance Cullum each pitched two innings for Ouachita, with Kimbrell earning the start but also the loss. 

In game two, Delta State scored in the first inning again, taking a 3-0 lead on three hits and one error. Ouachita responded with two runs in the top of the second, as Speers recorded his sixth home run and 22nd RBI of the season. 

The rest of the game ended scoreless, as the Tigers could only put one runner on base in the final 5 innings combined. Ouachita finished with just two hits, both coming in the second inning. Six different pitchers entered the game for the Tigers, with Zach Gloff taking the start and the loss. Jacob May, Jacob Knight, Tryce Schalchlin, Brian Krikorian and Jayme Lovelace combined for five innings and zero runs allowed. 

Ouachita returns to Great American Conference play on Friday, as the Tigers host Southern Nazarene for the final home series of the season. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m.