FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
ARKADELPHIA – The 22nd-ranked Ouachita Baptist baseball team scored in every inning to complete a three-game sweep of Arkansas-Monticello Sunday afternoon at Rab Rodgers Field as the Tigers defeated the Boll Weevils, 18-3 in seven innings, in a Gulf South Conference West Division game.
Ouachita Baptist, which is in third place in the Gulf South Conference West Division, won the first two games of the series Saturday at Rab Rodgers Field, 13-3 and 11-7.
On Sunday, the Tigers (35-7 overall, 7-4 GSC West) struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead.
Blake Lockwood, who went 2-for-3, was hit by a pitch to begin the frame and advanced to second when Justin Pennell bounced out to the pitcher. Jim Streicher, who was 3-for-4, ripped a base hit to center, moving to second on the throw to home as Lockwood scored. Rudy Jovanovski followed with a single to left, plating Streicher.
Arkansas-Monticello (0-29, 0-12) tied the game in the second by scoring two runs on two hits.
It didn’t take long for Ouachita Baptist to recapture the lead as the Tigers answers with three runs on three hits.
Drew Wurzelbacher walked to begin the frame and moved to second on a one-out base hit by Lockwood. Pennell advanced Wurzelbacher to third on a sacrifice fly and Lockwood moved to second on a stolen base. Streicher laced a double to right, plating Wurzelbacher and Lockwood. Jovanovski, who went 3-for-4, followed with a double to deep center, scoring Streicher to give the Tigers a 5-2 advantage.
The lead was extended in the third as Streicher drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk to bring in Poulter to give Ouachita Baptist a 6-2 advantage heading into the fourth.
The Boll Weevils trimmed the margin to 6-3 after picking a run on two hits in the top of the fourth.
Ouachita Baptist responded with a pair of runs on two hits in the bottom of the frame.
With one out, Chad Taylor, who was 2-for-3, ripped a base hit through the left side, and then stole second. Drew Maus, who went 3-for-5, belted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right center for his sixth homer of the year, while giving the Tigers an 8-3 lead.
The total grew to 9-3 when Lockwood reached on a walk and after steal second and third, scored on a Pennell groundout by Pennell.
Ouachita Baptist extended the lead and put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth by plating nine runs on nine hits.
Taylor began the frame with a base hit through the left side. Maus followed with a single through the right side, which moved Taylor to third. Both scored on a triple by Wurzelbacher. Poulter then laced a double to left, scoring Wurzelbacher to give the Tigers a 12-3 lead.
Still with no outs, Lockwood singled to center and moved to second when the throw was to third to get Poulter, who in safely. Pennell hammered a 1-0 pitch over the right center wall, his sixth of the year.
With one out, Jovanovski doubled to left. Makonnen and Nick Williams drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Jovanovski scored on a wild pitch as Makonnen and Williams moved up 90 feet. Maus singled to right, plating Makonnen and Williams to give Ouachita Baptist a commanding 18-3 lead.
Chase Baran (7-1) surrendered three runs on four hits with four walks, while fanning three in five innings for the Tigers. Trent Lingle worked two innings of relief, with three walks and a strikeout.
David Nix (0-6) started for the Boll Weevils, lasting 4 1/3 innings. He gave up nine runs on seven hits with eight walks. Stuart Morgan, who was ejected in the sixth, worked just 2/3 of an inning. He gave up six runs on seven hits. T.J. Weed worked an inning of relief, surrendering three runs on three hits with a pair of walks.
Ouachita Baptist begins a five-game road stretch 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 8 in Florence, Ala., against Gulf South Conference East Division opponent North Alabama and will conclude the road swing in Russellville, Ark., next weekend against Arkansas Tech. All the games will be available to listen on the Ouachita Baptist athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com.
We would also like to thank Dr. Kluck for allowing us the use of the game pictures! To see more of his game pictures just follow the LINK
