SHAWNEE, Oklahoma – The Ouachita baseball team opened its three-game road conference series against Oklahoma Baptist with a double header split on Friday, falling in the first game 14-4 and winning the second game 8-5.
The Tigers (13-13, 8-9 GAC) started the scoring in game one on Friday by taking advantage of a Bison error. Oklahoma Baptist (14-12, 8-9 GAC) then scored four runs in both the second and third innings to hold a big lead.
The other Tiger runs in the first game came on an RBI single from
Jaren Ceasar in the fourth and a bases-loaded walk by
Joseph Bolin and an RBI groundout by
David Bull in the sixth.
OKBU closed out the game with crooked numbers in the run column in the seventh and eighth innings.
In the nightcap, it was the Tigers' turn for a crooked number with four runs crossing the plate in the top of the second inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing double from
Reece McWilliams.
Jaren Ceasar later doubled in the inning to drive home McWilliams.
With the Bison scratching one run across in both the first and second innings,
Ashton Ybarra put the Tigers up 5-2 in the third on an RBI single, and
Cole Bedwell hit a three-run homerun in the top of the fifth to put his team up 8-2.
The Bison rallied in the ninth, but
Chase Oberle came out of the bullpen to get the Tigers out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam. Oberle struck out the first two Bison batters he faced and then got a line out to end it. It was his first save of the season and second of his Tiger career.
Oberle preserved the win for
Reece Tarini, who was looking to pitch a complete game. Tarini earned the win and improved to 3-2 this season.
The rubber match of the series is set for Saturday at noon in Shawnee. The Tigers are seeking their third GAC series win of the season.