NASHVILLE, Tenn.- While the Music City has become known for its aspiring musicians, Ouachita Baptist released a few hits of its own on Tuesday, to the tune of a 23-9 victory over Trevecca Nazarene at Jackson Field in Nashville, Tenn.
Among the recordings were two grand slams and 23 hits in all for Ouachita (10-14). It took a few innings for the Tigers to get warmed up, but once Ouachita got in a groove, it was a symphony in the making in the fourth and fifth innings, as the Tigers exploded for 18 runs combined.
In the first two innings, Trevecca Nazarene went up 3-0, but the Tigers answered with a single run in the top of third inning, as sophomore Duncan Collins connected on a double to deep center field that scored senior Cass Via to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Trojans made it 4-1 with a single run in the bottom half of the third.
The 10-hit, 10-run fourth began with a pair of singles from Ouachita juniors Brock Green and Tom Ward. Followed by a fly out, freshman Keegan Ghidotti connected on a single to right center and Via walked to score Green to put the score at 4-2. An RBI single by Collins scored Ward and that set the stage for a game-changing at-bat by Mazmanian.
On the first pitch of the at-bat, Mazmanian launched a grand slam that gave Ouachita a 7-4 lead, which it wouldn’t relinquish for the rest of the game. Senior Justin Hall wouldn’t let it end there, recording a single, preceding senior Kyle Zimmerman’s double to deep center. Back-to-back RBI singles from Green and Ward plated both Hall and Zimmerman to stretch the lead to 9-4. To apply the finishing touches to the inning, Via connected on a two-RBI single that drove in Green and Ward. When the dust settled, Ouachita took command of a 11-4 lead.
For the Trojans response, Trevecca Nazarene scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the home team would soon learn that it wouldn’t be enough in the offensive onslaught that Ouachita was embarking upon.
With one out to begin with the fifth inning, Mazmanian doubled to deep left field, followed by Hall reaching base on a hit by pitch. One batter later, Zimmerman drove in Mazmanian with a double down the right field line to put the game at 12-8. An RBI single from Green made it 13-8, and the lead stretched to 15-8 on a two-run single from senior Sam McGill, as Zimmerman and Green rounded the bases for a pair of runs.
Not to be outdone by his teammate, Via decided to join in on the grand slam fun, as the senior blasted the shot on a full count over the left field fence. The shot gave Ouachita a 19-8 lead and further cemented an offensive total that the Trojans couldn’t keep pace with.
Ouachita would go on to score four more runs in the sixth, as Trevecca Nazarene added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the run-rule was enforced after seven innings of action in the non-conference match up.
Freshman Davis Ward (1-2) took the win on the mound for Ouachita, going two innings on the mound and allowing just one earned run. Junior starter Taylor Burns went four innings and allowed six earned runs in the no-decision effort.
Via finished the game with his finest day as a Tiger, going 3-for-3 with seven RBIs and three runs scored. Mazmanian (3-for-5, 4 RBI), along with Green (3-for-4, four runs scored, two RBIs), Tom Ward (3-for-4, four runs scored) and Zimmerman (3-for-5), Ouachita recorded three batters with three hits on the day and three players with four or more RBIs.
The Tigers return to action on March 23 against Division I-opponent Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. at Jackson Field at 3:30 p.m.
