FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
EDMOND, Okla. – The 22nd-ranked Ouachita Baptist baseball team fell behind early, then used an offensive explosion to get a 10-4 victory over Central Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon at Broncho Field.
The Tigers (30-7) hit some milestones along the way. Ouachita Baptist won its 30th game for the third straight year and in the process knocked off a team that was 14-1 in their last 15 games against the Tigers.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Ouachita Baptist responded by tying the game on an RBI base hit up the middle by Jim Streicher in the third and exploded with four in the fourth and fourth in the fifth to grab a 9-1 lead.
In the fourth, Chandler Boyce, who went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, led off the frame by being hit by a pitch. With one down, JoeDann Poulter, who transferred from Central Oklahoma and was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, singled through the left side and both advanced a base when Blake Lockwood, who was 2-for-5, reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases.
Justin Pennell grounded out to short, bringing in Boyce and Poulter and Lockwood scored on a double to left center by Streicher, who was 2-for-5 with four RBIs. Rudy Jovanovski followed with a double to left, plating Streicher to give the Tigers a 5-1 lead.
In the fifth, Boyce singled up the middle to begin the inning and moved to third on a Drew Maus double down the left-field line. Both came in to score on Poulter’s double to right center. After a pitching change, Lockwood reached on a bunt single and moved to second on a stolen base. Poulter scored on Streicher’s fielder’s choice and Lockwood came in to score when Jovanovski grounded out to third for the second out.
The Bronchos (25-12) cut the deficit to 9-2 with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Ouachita Baptist put the game out of reach with a run in the sixth.
Chase Baran picked up his sixth win of the season after going 5 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Alex Smith pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief to get the save.
Zak Wallis took the loss for the Bronchos. He pitched 3 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on four hits with a pair of walks.
Ouachita Baptist plays at LaGrave Field, home of the Fort Worth Cats, 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 2 against Tarleton State in a doubleheader in Fort Worth, Texas. The games can be heard on the Ouachita Baptist athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com.
