Clarksville, Ark.-Mitchell Powers hit a two-run double to left center field in the bottom of the ninth to lift Ozarks past East Texas Baptist University 10-9 in game two of Saturday?s American Southwest Conference double-header.
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Powers only hit of the day came when the Eagles (7-13, 1-5 ASC) needed the most as they trailed 9-8 in his at-bat. With one out and runners at first and second, Powers drove a ball to the left field gap to score both Jonathan Cox and Tyler Hydrick. The Tigers (6-13, 2-1 ASC) threw home in hopes of getting Hydrick out, but the speedy freshman made a headfirst slide and beat the tag for the game-winning run. Momentum shifted in Ozarks’ favor in the seventh when Ian Bryan entered the game to pitch. Facing two runners on and one out, Bryan opened with a strike out and then forced a groundout to the end the top of the frame. Taylor Parker recorded a single to start the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers held Ozarks scoreless and kept the game at 9-6 heading into the eighth. Bryan quickly retired the side in the top of the eighth to set the stage for more dramatics. In the bottom half of the eighth, Nick Brill hit a sharp single to center field to give Michael Prusator an opportunity to drive in a run. Prusator did just that as he hammered a ball over the left field wall to get Ozarks within 9-8. John Singler came in for Bryan in the ninth and allowed a single to his first batter. The Tigers then executed a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second. However, Singler ended the top of the ninth with a groundout and a clutch strike out to put Ozarks in position to win the game. Jonathan Cox built even more momentum as he patiently drew a walk to put the game-tying run aboard. Chris Driedric then pushed Cox in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and as pressure mounted on Tigers relief pitcher Chad Ford, he drilled Freddy Prince to put another runner on base. Hydrick then pinch ran for Prince, a move that paid off as Powers hit was just far enough to score Hydrick.
Powers and Brill drove in three runs apiece. Brill, Tony Morales and Chris Young had three hits each. Prusator was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Singler (1-0) received the win.
The Tigers took game one 10-3 behind a six-run sixth inning. Ozarks held a 1-0 lead after four innings of play on Prusator’s RBI single in the second. Ozarks held a 3-1 advantage after five, but it wouldn’t stand as the Tigers recorded five hits and six runs in the sixth. Leading 7-3, East Texas Baptist put the game out of reach with a three-run seventh.
Tyler Erickson (3-3) took the loss after tossing five and two-third innings.
Brill and Cox paced Ozarks at the plate with two hits.
Ozarks will travel to Shreveport, Louisiana, to play Centenary College March 23-24.
Topics: Athletics