The third-ranked Ouachita Baptist University baseball team split a pair of non-conference games Tuesday afternoon at Tiger Field as Ouachita fell in the opening game of the doubleheader, 7-6, but bounced back with a 13-3 victory in six innings.
Ouachita (10-3) scored 13 runs on 15 hits in the second game to get the split.
After a scoreless first inning, the Tigers unloaded for seven runs on six hits in the second inning.
With one down in the frame, Drew Maus, who went 2-for-4, singled to center and Luke Hardcastle, who was 2-for-3, followed with a base hit through the left side. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and with two outs, Drew Wurzelbacher was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Blake Lockwood, who went 2-for-3, singled through the right side to plate Maus and Hardcastle. JoeDan Poulter, who was 1-for-3, homered to left to clear the bases. Rudy Jovanovski, who went 1-for-4, followed and reached on an error. He scored on Brock Green’s double to center, giving Ouachita a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers added two more in the top of the third as East Central closed the gap to 9-1 in the bottom of the frame.
East Central (2-6) continued to fight back by adding a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Ouachita closed the door by scoring four times in the sixth to get the win.
Trent Lingle (1-1) picked up his first win of the season by going five innings. He surrendered two runs on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Zach Treece worked one inning of relief, giving up a run on two hits.
Atlee Kile (0-1) took the loss. He pitched two innings and was tagged for nine runs on eight hits. Jamie Voight and Nathan Barker worked in relief.
In the opener, Patrick Lemmond started on the mound for the Tigers, going two innings. He surrendered four runs (all unearned) on six hits with a strikeout. Sean O’Rourke (0-1) took the loss as he gave up three runs on three hits in 4 1/3 innings. He fanned six and walked one. Payne Spence worked a 1/3 of an inning in relief.
Ouachita scored a run in the top of the second, but East Central added four runs on three hits and took advantage of three errors in the bottom of the third to grab a 4-1 lead.
The Tiger bats came alive in the top of the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth after a pitching change, Maus walked with one out and Derek Dibbens was hit by a pitch. Drew Wurzelbacher ripped a two-out single to left-center to plate Maus and Lockwood, who went 2-for-4, while driving in four, followed with a triple down the right field line to score Dibbens and Wurzelbacher to tie the game at 4.
In the fifth, Maus walked for the second straight inning with one out. He advanced to second on a wild pitch as Dibbens walked. Matt Burton was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two down, Lockwood singled to left as Maus and Dibbens scored to give Ouachita a 6-4 lead.
East Central won the game in the bottom of the seventh by scoring three runs on four hits.
Kyle McCormick led off the frame by doubling to right-center. With one out, Lucas Armenta singled to right as McCormick stopped at third. Tyler Gillum followed with a base hit to left to plate McCormick and after a pitching change, Ryan Estes walked to load the bases. With two down, J. Owen singled to left to score Gillum and Armenta to give East Central the victory.
Trey Robinson started on the mound for East Central, going three innings. He gave up a run on one hit with a walk and a pair of strikeouts. Justin Watley came on in relief by going 1 1/3 innings. He surrendered five runs on two hits with five walks and a strikeout. Jacob Gammons (1-0) took the win as he pitched 2 2/3 innings and gave up just one hit, while fanning four.
Ouachita plays the next four games in Livingston, Ala., at the University of West Alabama. The Tigers play No. 23 West Alabama, 3:00 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20 at Tartt Field. All games this weekend will be available to watch through live stats. The game Friday can also be heard on the Ouachita Baptist University Athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com.
