FROM PRESS RELEASE
ARKADELPHIA – Rudy Jovanovski belted a walk-off grand slam home run to help lift the 12th-ranked Ouachita Baptist baseball team to a 10-6 come-from-behind victory Tuesday afternoon against Augustana (S.D.) College.
The game was originally slated to be played Wednesday, but because of inclement weather coming in, the contest was pushed up a date.
The Tigers (24-5), who snapped a two-game skid, trailed 6-5 against into the eighth and got a run to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.
After getting out of a jam in the top of the ninth, Ouachita Baptist was able to put on some late-inning dramatics.
Blake Lockwood doubled to begin the ninth and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chandler Boyce. Jim Streicher and Justin Pennell drew back-to-back intentional walks to load the bases and set up a possible double play. However, the first by JaColby Anderson was crushed by Jovanovski, giving the Tigers a 10-6 victory.
Ryan Larson started on the mound for Augustana, working 3 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs on six hits with three walks. Anderson was tagged with the loss after pitching 4 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs (five earned) on five hits with five walks and three strikeouts.
Alex Smith worked 3 1/3 innings for the Tigers as a starter, giving up four runs on five hits. Jarod Hershberger pitched 1 ½ innings of relief, surrendering two runs on three hits. Sean O’Rourke lifted Hershberger and gave up just a pair of hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Patrick Lemmond (1-0) got his first win of the season by working 2/3 of an inning.
Lockwood paced the Ouachita Baptist offense with three hits, while Jovanovski and Makonnen each had two. Jovanovski finished with four RBIs and Streicher scored three runs.
The Tigers play two starting 12:00 p.m., Friday, March 21 at Rab Rodgers Field against Harding in a Gulf South Conference West Division series. Those games will be available on the Ouachita Baptist athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com.
