FROM PRESS RELEASE
FORT WORTH, Texas – The 22nd-ranked Ouachita Baptist baseball team didn’t make things easy Wednesday night, but the Tigers did get the job done by sweeping Tarleton State, 7-0 and 11-10 in eight innings at LaGrave Field, home of the Fort Worth Cats.
In the opener, the Tigers (32-7) plated a pair in the first inning and added to the margin with two more in the fourth. But Ouachita Baptist did the biggest damage in the bottom of the fifth by plating three runs.
Chandler Boyce, who was 1-for-3, began the fifth with a single through the left side and moved to third on a base hit to left by Chad Taylor, who went 2-for-2 with three runs score,. Boyce scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Drew Maus, who was 2-for-2, and JoeDann Poulter, who went 2-for-3, while driving in three, followed by crushing a Chuck Brown 1-2 pitch over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
Zack Wilbanks went the distance for the Tigers, pitching a complete-game, five-hitter. He didn’t walk a batter, while fanning five to improve to 2-0.
Joseph Wilson (0-1) pitched three innings for the Texans (18-21), giving up three runs on five hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Brown worked 2 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts. Matthew Anderson pitched just 1/3 of an inning in relief.
Tarleton State raced out to a 7-0 lead in the top of the first of the second game by plating seven runs on eight hits, while chasing Tigers starter Sean O’Rourke out after just 1/3 of an inning.
Ouachita Baptist got a run back in the bottom of the frame when Lockwood doubled to right center and moved to third on a balk. He scored on a groundout by Justin Pennell.
But the Texans scored a run on four hits in the top of the second to grab an 8-1 lead.
However, patience was the key in the bottom of the third for Ouachita Baptist as the Tigers plated a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 8-3.
Lockwood walked to begin the inning and with one out advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt. Streicher singled through the right side as Lockwood had to stop at third. Rudy Jovanovski walked to load the bases. Makonnen followed with a walk, scoring Lockwood and Boyce was hit by a pitch, plating Streicher. But Taylor bounced into an inning-ending double play, ending a potential big inning for the Tigers.
Ouachita Baptist wasn’t done by any means, plating three runs in the fourth to trim the margin to 8-6.
With one out, Poulter singled to center and moved to second when Lockwood was hit by a pitch. Pennell singled through the right side to load the bases and Lockwood Poulter scored on a wild pitch. With two down, Jovanovski singled to right center, plating Lockwood and Pennell as the Tigers cut into the big lead.
The Texans added a run in the sixth to take a 9-6 advantage, but the Tigers continued to battle back by scoring four runs
Lockwood was hit by a pitch to begin the frame and moved to second on an infield hit by Pennell. With one away, Jovanovski singled to right to load the bases. Destan Makonnen, the Gulf South Conference West Division Player of the Week, singled over the head of the first baseman and down the line in right, brining in Lockwood and Pennell to cut the deficit to 9-8.
After a pitching change, Chandler Boyce laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the first baseman, Chase Cundiff, threw it away and allowed Jovanovski to score the tying run, moving Makonnen to third. Taylor followed with a sacrifice fly to center, plating Makonnen, which represented the go-ahead run.
However, Tarleton State tied the game in the top of the seventh inning at 10 to force extra innings.
Ouachita Baptist won the game in the eighth inning with a pair of outs.
Makonnen opened the inning with a base hit to right and moved to second on a fielding error by the pitcher when Boyce reached safely. Taylor bunted out to the pitcher and advanced the runners up 90 feet on the sacrifice. However, Makonnen was thrown out at third when Maus reached on a fielder’s choice. Nick Williams, who pinch ran for Boyce, moved up a base when Drew Wurzelbacher walked to load the bases.
That set the stage for Lockwood, who’s ground ball to third was snagged at the corner, but the throw wasn’t in time, allowing Williams to score the winning run.
O’Rourke was tagged for six runs and five hits with just one walk after 33 pitches. Jarod Hershberger pitched 4 1/3 innings of relief, surrendering two runs, while scattering 11 hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Jerry Helferich gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits in two innings of work. He also had a pair of strikeouts. Patrick Lemmond (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief to get the win, while fanning a pair.
Dallas Rayborn started for the Texans, pitching 2 1/3 innings. He gave up three runs on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Miguel Castro (1-1) worked three innings of relief, giving up seven runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Kris Stierwalt pitched 2/3 of an inning with a walk. Greg Terpenning (5-4) took the loss in pitching 1 2/3 innings. He gave up a run (unearned) on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Ouachita Baptist returns to action 12:00 p.m., Saturday, April 5 against Arkansas-Monticello in a Gulf South Conference West Division doubleheader at Rab Rodgers Field. Those games will be available on the Ouachita Baptist athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com.
