Clarksville, Ark.-East Texas Baptist pounded out 29 hits and battered seven Ozarks' pitchers in a double-header sweep Saturday in American Southwest Conference play.
The Tigers (14-24, 4-13 ASC) prevailed with a 11-6 game one win and then proceeded to complete a comeback in a 13-7 game two win. The Eagles (13-26, 6-10 ASC) were also eliminated from the playoff picture as a result of Louisiana College’s sweep over Texas-Dallas this weekend. The Eagles will finish the season tomorrow in a nine-inning contest starting at noon. The game can be heard on KXIO 106.9 FM and on the internet at www.kxio.nu.
In game one, the Tigers opened the contest with a big momentum setting seven-run first inning. Ozarks did battle back to pull within 7-3 after the first. Chris Driedric led off with a single to right field. After a ground out, Cory Briggs blasted a two-run shot to right field. Jeremy Hogan followed with a double down the left field line. Scott Dietz then roped a single to left field to bring in Hogan. The Tigers didn’t score again until the seventh while Ozarks plated a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to bring the score to 7-6. In the fourth, Ian Bryan hit his first collegiate homer, and in the fifth, Chris Young and Tad Turner each produced RBI. But East Texas Baptist extended their lead to 9-6 after a two-run seventh. Ozarks wouldn’t score in the final four innings, but did get a pair of runners on in the eighth and ninth inning.
Dietz finished 3-for-5 and Driedric, Briggs and Bryan recorded two hits.
Starter Bobby Osburn (1-6) took the loss. Travis Conner tossed six and two-third innings in relief and fanned five.
In game two, Ozarks let two leads, including a 4-1 advantage heading into the third, slip away as the Tigers powered six home runs in the seven inning game. Ozarks appeared to be in control of the game as it recorded four runs on five hits in the first. The Tigers rallied for three runs in the third to even the contest at 4-4. Ozarks took the lead back, 6-4, in the bottom half of the frame behind a Powers RBI single and a Briggs sacrifice RBI. But the Eagles blew the lead as East Texas Baptist struck for two, four and three runs to complete the come-from-behind win. East Texas Baptist committed five errors, but it did not hurt them, as they hammered out 14 hits.
Briggs (2-5) suffered the loss.
Driedric and Turner each had two hits. Powers ended the game with a 1-for-3, 2-RBI performance.
Topics: Athletics