Clarksville, Ark. ? Cory Briggs' RBI triple in the ninth inning broke a 4-4 tie and helped the Eagles to a 6-4 win over Williams Baptist College Tuesday in Walnut Ridge.
In the ninth, Mitchell Powers roped a single to put Briggs in position to do damage. The senior from Greencastle, Pa., did just that as he sent a deep shot to center field to put Ozarks (13-24) in front 5-4. Jake West then added a security run for Ozarks on an RBI single. Briggs came out on the mound in the bottom of the ninth and struck out the first two batters he faced. He then issued a walk and allowed a single, but got Jordan Smith to fly out to pick up his first save of the season.
After a scoreless first inning, Chris Driedric hit a three-run homer to give Ozarks a 3-0 lead. Williams Baptist (18-26) got one run back in the bottom half of the inning and then posted another run in the fifth to trim the deficit to 3-2. Ozarks scored a run from a costly error in the seventh to move ahead 4-2. Williams Baptist answered with a run in bottom half and then tied it in the eighth before Briggs and West drove in key runs in the final frame.
Travis Conner (2-5) was the pitcher of record and received the win after logging one and two-third innings.
Briggs finished 3-for-4 and West and Ian Bryan each had two hits.
Ozarks will host East Texas Baptist University this weekend with a playoff spot on the line.
Topics: Athletics