WARRENSBURG, Missouri – The Ouachita Baptist University baseball team has advanced into the winner's bracket of the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament following a 5-4 upset victory over No. 1 seed and tournament host Central Missouri on Thursday night at Crain Stadium/Tompkins Field.

The Tigers move to 33-22 overall this season, and will face Augustana on Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the winner's bracket. Augustana, the No. 5 seed in the tournament, came from behind to beat No. 4 seed Minnesota State earlier on Thursday by a final score of 10-9.

In Ouachita's win over nationally-ranked No. 3 UCM (43-8), the Tigers struck first in the top of the second inning, loading the bases with no outs, but only scratching across one run on an RBI single by CW Schrader.

In the fourth, the Tigers went up 3-0 on a two-run homerun by Jaxon Chaney, his ninth round-tripper of the season. Wyatt Core put the Tigers up 4-0 with an RBI groundout in the fifth, and then Ouachita went to the long ball again in the sixth for its final run of the game, this time a solo homerun by Cade Burris, his ninth of the season.

The Mules rallied in the ninth, including a three-run homerun to break up the shutout. However, the Tigers kept the tying run on the bases to earn the win.

Cooper Timmons (9-3) earned his ninth win of the season, keeping UCM scoreless on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in the first six innings. Timmons pitched out of jams in the second, fifth, and sixth innings.

Ouachita starter Cooper Timmons on his performance: 


Core accounted for three of Ouachita's 10 hits in the win, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. He was the only Tiger with a multi-hit game. All but two spots in the Ouachita lineup had a hit in the win.

The Tigers handed UCM starter Collin Jones (9-1) his first loss of the season, and also gave UCM just its second loss at home this season.

Ouachita head coach Luke Howard following the win: