FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
CLEVELAND, Miss. – Steve Smith set a new collegiate career high for strikeouts with 14 as the 21st-ranked Ouachita Baptist baseball team stunned second seed and No. 7 Southern Arkansas, 5-2 during the opening round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Friday at Dave “Boo” Ferris Field.
Smith (9-1), who got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third, tied the mark he set earlier this season against Henderson State , then broke the mark with a strikeout to John Long to end the game. The right-hander surrendered two runs on seven hits with a pair of walks.
The Tigers will play 7:00 p.m., against Abilene Christian, while Southern Arkansas will play at 11:00 a.m.
Ouachita Baptist (44-14) broke a 0-0 tie in the top of third by scoring five times off Southern Arkansas starter Cody Jones.
Chandler Boyce walked to begin the frame and moved to third on a double to left center by Drew Maus. Drew Wurzelbacher, who went 2-for-3, reached on a bunt single to score Boyce and Maus came across on a bunt single by Blake Lockwood, who was . With one out, Jim Streicher hit a bloop single to left center to load the bases. Rudy Jovanovski brought Wurzelbacher in with a sacrifice fly to left. Destan Makonnen followed with a base hit to center to plate Lockwood and Streicher, giving the Tigers a 5-0 lead.
Southern Arkansas (44-11) finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh.
Tim Dellwo was hit by a pitch and with one out, stole second. David Aubrey reached on an field hit to move Dellwo to third. Nick Smith singled to center, plating Dellwo to cut the Tigers lead to 5-1.
The Muleriders continued to cut the gap as Cannon Lester reached on an infield single with one out in the bottom of the eighth. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double down the left field line by John Long. Dellwo followed and was hit by a pitch. James Schroeder singled through the left side to load the bases. However, Smith got Brandon Graves and David Aubrey to strikeout to end the inning and the Southern Arkansas threat.
Jones (9-3) worked a complete game. He gave up five runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and a pair of walks.
In the first game of the afternoon, Abilene Christian rallied for five runs over the final two innings to defeat West Alabama , 8-7.
Penn Atlantic serves as the host site as it was for the GSC Baseball Tournament but all fans need to do is log on to www.ncaa.com and follow the direct link on the website to catch the free broadcasts. There will also be a link from the GSC Website, www.gulfsouthconference.org, enabling fans to click in and catch the live action.
The Ouachita Baptist-Abilene Christian game will also be available to listen to on the Ouachita Baptist athletic Web site as well as viewed through live stats at: www.obutigers.com.
