April 23, 2011
ARKADELPHIA- It was a senior-led production on Saturday, as Ouachita Baptist easily defeated Arkansas-Monticello, 10-0, on Senior Day at Rab Rodgers Field to sweep the Gulf South Conference West Division series at 3-0.
Ouachita (19-26, 8-10 GSC West) used a senior class that provided eight hits and seven RBI in the victory over the Boll Weevils (17-23, 6-12 GSC West).
Just as the spotlight was put on nine graduating seniors from the Ouachita Baptist baseball program to begin the afternoon, the seniors ruled the rest of the day on Saturday, as well, beginning with junior Brock Green driving in senior Cass Via for a 1-0 lead on a single to right field. Senior Justin Hall then added an RBI on a fielders choice, scoring Green for a 2-0 advantage.
Senior Ben Warner made it 4-0 on a two-run single to right, scoring Hall and senior Sam McGill to end the first inning.
A two-run home run by Brock Green highlighted the second inning, scoring Via and stretching the lead to 6-0. It was the fourth homer of the season for Green.
Senior Michael Haydon opened the fourth with a single up the middle, followed by an RBI double from Cass Via that scored Haydon from second base. A bases loaded walk gave an RBI to Justin Hall, scoring Via for an 8-0 lead.
Three different singles in the fifth inning by seniors Michael Haydon, Cass Via and junior Brock Green set the bases loaded, but the Tigers couldn’t plate a run in the inning.
It wouldn’t take long for Ouachita to plate a 10-0 lead, as senior Kyle Zimmerman and Cass Via began with singles, scoring pinch runner Duncan Collins, The final straw came when Sam McGill provided a sacrifice fly that brought in Zimmerman for the game’s decisive 10-run rule victory.
Junior Taylor Burns (3-4) was in command on the hill, going seven innings for the complete game shutout, allowing five hits and striking out four. At the plate, Green finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs, while Via added a 3-for-3 day with three runs and two RBI. Seniors Justin Hall and Ben Warner added two RBI, while McGill and Zimmerman added hits. In his finest day as a Tiger, senior Michael Haydon went 2-for-3 offensively, scoring a run and drawing a walk to lead Ouachita to the victory.
The Tigers will travel to Searcy on Tuesday to face Harding in a non-conference game beginning at 3 p.m.
