FROM PRESS RELEASE
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The second-ranked Ouachita Baptist baseball team got good pitching performances by Steve Smith and Sean O’Rourke as the Tigers split a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon, losing the opener 3-2, but taking the second contest, 11-8 at Rousy Field.
In the second contest, Ouachita Baptist (7-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a Justin Pennell two-run homer. However, Northeastern State (4-4) tied the game in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run shot by Justin Delay.
The Tigers plated three runs on three hits and took advantage of three errors in the second to grab a 5- 2 lead.
That would be all the offense O’Rourke needed. The right-hander gave up five runs on six hits and fanned six in five innings.
Ouachita Baptist scored two runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and then had to hold on late as Patrick Lemmond picked up his fourth save of the season as he got Erasmo Paredes to groundout with a runner on in the seventh to end the game.
In the opener, the Tigers had to rally to grab a 2-1 lead by plating two runs on two hits in the top of the sixth inning.
With one out, Jim Streicher singled to right and advanced to second when Drew Maus walked. Nick Williams came in to run for Streicher and both runners advanced on Chad Taylor’s groundout to third. JoeDan Poulter ripped a pinch-hit single to right, plating Williams and Maus.
But the Riverhawks capitalized on a dropped-third strike in the bottom of the seventh.
Kevin Campbell reached base on the dropped-third strike with one out and took second when Blake Anglin walked.
Smith, who had six strikeouts, was relieved for Lemmond and after a wild pitch, the junior right-hander fanned Dustin McCandless for the second out. But Scott Sittel’s grounder to third was scooped up by Rudy Jovanovski and the throw was hit at first, allowing the tying and winning runs to score.
Ouachita Baptist plays host 12:00 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16 at Rab Rodgers Field against Truman State in a doubleheader.
