Clarksville, Ark.-Hendrix College held off the Eagles seven-run eighth inning and then scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the frame to edge Ozarks 13-12 in non-conference action Tuesday night.
Ozarks (9-15) opened the high-scoring affair with three runs in the top of the first. Chris Driedric led off the game with a walk and Mitchell Powers followed with a double to right field. Cory Briggs had a double down the left field line to drive in Driedric and Powers. Jeremy Hogan recorded the third double of the inning to score Briggs. Hendrix (13-14) tied the game in the bottom of the second and then took a 7-3 lead in the bottom of the third. Ozarks got one run back in the top of the fifth on a Hogan RBI single, but the Warriors put four more runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning to go ahead 10-4. Briggs made it 10-5 in the sixth when he singled in Tad Turner. After a scoreless seventh inning, Ozarks exploded for seven runs on six hits in the eighth to take a 12-11 lead. The Eagles’ offense produced three straight singles to start in the frame. Scott Dietz drove in two runs with a double down the left field line. Ian Bryan scored Dietz with a single, and Briggs had another RBI with Ozarks third hit. Sam Davidson reached on an error and Turner provided Ozarks with three quick runs after cranking out a homer over the left field fence. But Hendrix ruined Ozarks’ comeback by rallying for two runs with two outs.
Ozarks pounded out 17 hits against four Hendrix pitchers. The Warriors recorded 16 hits against six Ozarks pitchers.
Powers had three doubles and finished 4-for-5. Briggs and Turner each went 3-for-5.
Hogan started on the mound and went two and two-third innings. Bill Smith (1-1) took the loss after tossing the final inning.
Ozarks will head to Pineville, Louisiana, to face Louisiana College April 1-2.
Topics: Athletics