SHAWNEE, Oklahoma – The Ouachita baseball team won both ends of Friday's Great American Conference road doubleheader against Oklahoma Baptist by scores of 16-15 and 9-7.
Friday's results give the Tigers (23-17, 15-11 GAC) their fifth conference series victory of the season. Game three against the Bison (24-16, 13-13 GAC) is set for Saturday at noon.
Ouachita leadoff hitter
Dustin Bermudez set the pace for Friday's high-scoring battles with a solo home run in the top of the first inning of the first game. Ouachita went on to plate 10 runs in that first inning, including a grand slam home run from
Michael Quinones.
The Bison put up crooked numbers in each of the first three innings to keep themselves in the game. A three-run third inning for the Bison left Ouachita with a 12-10 heading into the fourth.
Cade Burris and
Joseph Bolin each hit home runs later in the game to keep the Tigers on top. Ouachita never lost its lead, despite the Bison rallying to make it a one-run game in the ninth.
Tallon Heine finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI. Bermudez was the only other Tigers with more than one hit in the win, going 2-for-6 with two RBI.
The Tigers used four pitchers in game one, including
Luke House and
Chase Oberle, both of whom are normally saved for weekend starting roles. House (6-3) earned the win in relief. Oberle earned his first save of the year after limiting the Bison rally to just one run in the ninth.
Oberle's day wasn't done, however, getting the start in game two and proceeding to earn the win to move to 5-4 this year. He tossed five innings with two runs allowed on five hits with eight strikeouts.
Kyzer Smith earned his first collegiate save.
Tallon Heine again led the Tiger offense with three hits.
Joseph Bolin and Colin Liles each went 2-for-4 with a home run.
Wesley Scott and
Isaac Nowell came through with clutch RBI hits in the top of the seventh to give the Tigers enough cushion to hold off the Bison.
