Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles pounded out a combined 32 hits to earn a split in Saturday afternoon?s double-header against Mississippi College.
The split pushes Ozarks record to 15-23 overall and 5-12 in American Southwest Conference play. The Eagles are eliminated from playoff contention, while the Choctaws (17-21, 8-9 ASC) edge closer to securing a post-season berth.
In game one, the Eagles overcame a 6-2 fourth inning deficit to pick up a 14-8 win. Ozarks recorded five hits and took advantage of two Choctaw errors to score seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. Peyton Johnigan singled in the first run, while Freddy Prince, Nick Brill, Mitchell Powers, Tony Morales, Michael Prusator and Chris Young followed with RBI. The Eagles then proceeded to score two runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to put the game away.
Powers and Prusator each finished 3-for-3. Powers ended the game with three RBI and Jonathan Cox scored three times. Ian Bryan (2-1) earned the win after tossing three and one-third innings in relief.
Mississippi College turned the tables in game two as it came back from a 6-2 deficit after three complete innings to secure a 11-9 win. Ozarks powered its way to a 4-0 lead after one with a pair of extra base hits. Nick Brill smashed his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot, to continue the Eagles’ offensive outburst in game two. Prusator then laced a double to right field to score two more runs. Brill would single in two runs in the third to increase Ozarks’ lead to 6-2. But Mississippi College responded with four runs in the top of the fourth to even the game at 6-6. Ozarks answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame on a Johnigan double and a Prince two-run single. The Choctaws eventually climbed within 9-8 after six complete innings and then took the lead for good in the seventh after scoring three runs. Ozarks had seven hits in the final five innings, but couldn’t scratch across a single run.
Bo Thomas (0-1) took the loss in relief.
Prusator finished 4-for-6 with two RBI. Johnigan went 4-for-6 with one RBI. Prince went 3-for-6 with two RBI and Brill went 2-for-5 with four RBI.
Ozarks will end its season tomorrow in a nine-inning contest against Choctaws at 12:00 p.m.
Topics: Athletics