Brock Green capped a huge comeback with a walk-off home run in the second game of a doubleheader and Blake Lockwood hit his second collegiate homer – a grand slam – in the opener Saturday against Drury as the fifth-ranked Ouachita Baptist University baseball team took two from the Panthers, 11-5 and 12-10, at Rab Rodgers Field.
The Tigers (8-2) trailed 7-0 in the second game against the Panthers (2-4), but rallied by plating seven runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Drury had a 10-8 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh, when some magic happened at Rab Rodgers Field.
Drew Wurzelbacher, who went 3-for-3, led off the frame and reached on an infield single and Lockwood followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice as Wurzelbacher advanced to second and third on a throwing error by the Panthers first baseman. JoeDan Poulter plated Wurzelbacher on a groundout to second for the first out as Lockwood moved to third. Will Gowdy singled through the left side to score Lockwood, tying the game at 10.
After a pitching change, Rudy Jovanovski fouled out to the catcher for the second out. Green, who pinch hit for Drew Baker, smacked an 0-1 pitch for the game-winning runs.
Jarod Hershberger started for Ouachita by going four innings. He gave up seven runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Payne Spence pitched two innings and surrendered three runs on three hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Patrick Lemmond (1-0) picked up the win by working one innings and giving up just one hit.
Blake Wixson worked four innings on the mound for the Panthers. He gave up seven runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Sam Pirtle pitched one inning of relief and Tim Payne worked 2/3 of an inning in relief. Stephen Bloss (0-1) was tagged for the loss after pitching 2/3 of an inning in relief. He gave three runs on two hits with a strikeout. Carl Teghtmyer also pitched in relief.
Ouachita struck first in the opening game by plating a run in the first inning.
Lockwood led off with a walk and stole second. After a wild pitch moved him to third, Gowdy doubled down the left field line to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Ouachita continued to put runs on the board by scoring six runs.
Chris Gordon led off with a single to left center and stole second. With one out, Wurzelbacher walked. Both advanced on a double steal to put runners into scoring position. Lockwood walked for the second time in the game to load the bases. Poulter, who went 2-for-4, scored Gordon and Wurzelbacher with a double down the line in left.
Gowdy, who went 3-for-4, followed and cleared the bases with a double down the left field line to plate Lockwood and Poulter. Jovanovski kept things going with a doubled to left, to score Gowdy.
The Panthers trimmed the margin to 6-2 in the top of the fourth.
After Kendall Findley reached on a walk, Joe Rohlfing ended the no-hitter by Gowdy with a two-run homer over the center field wall.
However, the Tigers forced a pitching change in the bottom of the inning as Ouachita scored a run to grab a 7-2 advantage.
Poulter began the frame with a double to left center and scored on a double by Gowdy.
Ouachita put the game away by scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Dibbens doubled to second to start the inning but was out trying to take third as Gordon reached on a fielder’s choice. Matt Burton and Wurzelbacher drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. The bases empty on Lockwood’s second career home run – a grand slam over the right center wall.
Drury scored three runs in the final three innings as the Tigers cruised with an 11-5 win.
Gowdy (3-0) started on the mound, giving up five runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He had three walks, but seven strikeouts. Sean O’Rourke pitched the final 3 2/3 innings in relief.
Zane Montgomery (0-1) took the loss as he worked 3 1/3 innings. He surrendered seven runs on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Blair Ellington, Beau Beattie and Corey Peterson pitched in relief.
Ouachita concludes the three-game series 1:00 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15 at Rab Rodgers Field against Drury. The game can be heard on the Ouachita Baptist University Athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com.
