JACKSON, Tennessee – The Ouachita Baptist University softball team dropped its double header to the Union University Bulldogs Wednesday afternoon.
The games' times and location had been shifted due to rain and wet conditions at Union's field. They were played at the University School of Jackson's softball complex.
Game One: Union 18, Ouachita 15
The Tigers came out swinging in the first game on the day, putting up six runs in the top of the first inning. The first two runs came on RBI singles from
Lauren Lester and
Callie Jourdan.
Lacy Ornelas followed up the two singles by crushing a grand slam to make it 6-0 Tigers after the first inning. Jourdan decided she wasn't done and hit a three-run homer in the top of the second to make it 9-0 Ouachita. Union added one run in the bottom of the second, but Ouachita answered right back with another big inning in the third.
Erin Williams scored
Kellen Church on a ground out, and then
Maggi Huddleston wanted in on the long ball and hit the Tiger's third home run in as many innings; this one being a three-run bomb to put the Tigers on top by a score of 13-1.
Then Union woke up and posted an 11-run third inning to make it a one-run game 13-12 heading into the fourth. Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth, and Ouachita pushed the lead out to two runs on a Huddleston sacrifice fly that scored
Katelyn Provence. The Bulldogs plated six more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead of the day 18-14. The Tigers were able to get another run across the plate in the seventh as Huddleston came home on an error with two outs, but that was it for the Tigers and they dropped the offensive shootout 18-15.
- Callie Jourdan went 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, two runs scored and a walk.
- The home run was Jourdan's first collegiate home run.
- Lauren Lester went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
- Maggi Huddleston went 2-for-4 with a four RBI, four runs scored, a home run and a double.
- Huddleston's four runs scored were the most in a single game by a Tiger since Kelly Powell did it in against East Central in 2018.
- Lacy Ornelas had five RBI on the afternoon with a home run and a run scored.
- Tuesday Melton earned the loss in the circle to make her season record 3-1.
The 15 runs score by the Tigers were their most in a game since scoring 17 in 2021 against Oklahoma Baptist.
The three home runs hit this game were the most by the Tigers in a single game since they did it twice in 2019.
Game Two: Union 10, Ouachita 7
Ouachita struck first again in game two as
Maggi Huddleston singled to the left side to score
Hope Waid. Union was quick to respond this time and plated four runs in the bottom of the first. The Tigers answered back an inning later in the third.
Erin Williams decided she wanted in on the home run derby too and hit her second homer of the season to cut the Tigers' deficit to two. Huddleston scored on a wild pitch to make it a one-run game.
Callie Jourdan then scored on an RBI single from
Kalia Kekahuna-Fernandez and Tiffany Backeburg scored thanks to an error on the same play to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead. Ouachita added to their lead as Waid walked to score Jourdan to make it 6-4 Tigers.
Union again started a rally, plating four runs in the fifth inning to take an 8-6 lead. The Bulldogs added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Tigers were able to again cut the lead to three in the seventh, this time Huddleston walked to score Kekahuna-Fernandez, but that was all the Tigers could get in the seventh and they dropped game two 10-7.
The Tigers will look to bounce back this Friday, February 17 as they will host the Southwest Baptist Bearcats in a double header back home at Sully Anderson Field.
