ARKADELPHIA – Reigning Great American Conference Player of the Week
Dustin Bermudez tied the Ouachita Baptist University baseball single-season record with his ninth save of the 2023 season and drove in the go-ahead runs to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 win over the University of Arkansas at Monticello on Tuesday at home.
UAM (26-17) won the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader by a final score of 7-1, putting up four runs in the second inning and three runs in the third to take a commanding lead early. The Weevils kept the Tigers (31-12) scoreless through the first five innings before Ouachita broke up the shutout bid with one run in the sixth on an RBI fielder's choice groundout by
Jud Arrington.
In the second game, both teams were held scoreless through the first four innings with efficient pitching from Ouachita's
Teddy Webb and UAM's Charles Peacock.
The Tigers took advantage of a pair of walks and a wild pitch to put runners on second and third to start the fifth inning. Bermudez came through with a squeeze bunt down the first base line, which scored the go-ahead run from third easily, but
CW Schrader hustled around all the way from second base to score on the UAM throw to retire Bermudez at first base. Later in the inning,
Michael Quinones finalized the scoring with an RBI single.
Bermudez switched from his starting shortstop position to the mound for the top of the seventh inning for the save opportunity. Although the Weevils managed to get the potential tying run at bat in the inning, Bermudez worked out of the jam to become the third player in Ouachita history to have nine saves in a single season. He joins Patrick Lemmond (2008) and Nathan Fisher (2005) atop the category in the record book with many chances to break the record remaining in the 2023 season.
Bermudez put a cap on the the combined shutout with starter
Teddy Webb (6-2) earning the win and
Jacob Bowman holding the lead in the top of the sixth inning, facing the minimum number of UAM batters with the help of a double play. It was Ouachita's third shutout victory of the season.
The Tigers are back in action this weekend on the road against Southern Nazarene University for a three-game GAC series that will feature a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Saturday, both days starting at noon in Bethany, Oklahoma.
