WARRENSBURG, Missouri – Ouachita baseball's most successful season in 15 years came to an end on Saturday with a 5-4, 13-inning loss to St. Cloud State at the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament hosted by the University of Central Missouri.
The Tigers wrap up the 2023 season at 37-19 overall, the most wins for the program since a 37-20 finish in 2009. Ouachita's trip to Warrensburg was its second straight NCAA tournament appearance and fourth overall in program history.
Saturday's game against the Huskies (33-19) started in Ouachita's favor with a two-run homerun by
Michael Quinones in the top of the first inning, his 11th round-tripper of the season.
The Huskies took the lead with four runs in the third inning, capped by a two-run homerun. After that, Tiger starting pitcher
Luke House and reliever
Dustin Bermudez combined to post nine straight zeros on the scoreboard before the Huskies ultimately won on a leadoff homerun from Drew Beier in the bottom of the 13th.
In between SCSU's four-run third inning and the game-winning homerun in the 13th, Ouachita tied the contest with a pair of runs in the seventh on a solo homerun by
Jaxon Chaney and a sac fly by
G. Allen. It was Chaney's 12th homerun of the season to finish in a three-way tie for the team lead along with Allen and Bermudez.
For the 28th time this season, Ouachita eclipsed the double-digit mark in hits with a final total of 11. Chaney finished 3-for-6. Quinones, Bermudez, and
Tallon Heine had two hits each.
