HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas – Arkansas-Fort Smith rallied with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to score a pair of runs and then held Ouachita scoreless in the bottom of the frame to beat the Tigers 4-2 on Friday at Majestic Park in the 2025 season opener.

Ouachita opened the scoring by taking advantage of a pair of UAFS errors in the bottom of the third to score on a sacrifice fly from Cole Bedwell. UAFS answered with a solo homerun in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1.

The Lions cashed in on a leadoff double in the top of the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead later in the frame. Ouachita answered this time with a solo homerun of its own, this one coming from Isaac Nowell to tie the score at 2-2.

The Tigers ended with four hits in the loss, one each coming from Nowell, Wesley Scott, Joseph Bolin, and Octavio Mendivil. UAFS finished with 11 hits.

Chase Oberle earned a no decision after allowing just two runs in the first five innings with seven hits allowed, two strikeouts, and two walks.

The Tigers are back in action on Saturday on day two of the Dugan Collegiate Baseball Invitational, facing off against Washburn at 4 p.m.