ARKADELPHIA- After winning Game 1 with a 10-4 victory over Arkansas-Monticello, it took three runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the Boll Weevils, as Ouachita Baptist came from behind to win Game 2, 10-9, to sweep the first two games of the three-game Gulf South Conference series at Rab Rodgers Field in Arkadelphia on Friday.
Ouachita (20-16, 5-5 GSC West) picked up a pair of much needed victories as several GSC schools are vying for a chance at GSC Tournament berths. In Game 1, Ouachita junior Kolby Moore (3-3) went the distance with a nine-inning victory on the mound, defeating Arkansas-Monticello (17-17, 3-7 GSC West). Moore threw 128 pitches to allow just two earned runs on 10 hits. In Game 4, Arkansas-Monticello led 9-4 after five innings of play, but Ouachita Baptist closed with six unanswered runs, including three in the bottom of the seventh with a game-winning walk serving as the final run for the Tigers.
In Game 3, Ouachita Baptist jumped out to a 5-1 lead after three innings of play, then outscored the Boll Weevils 5-3 in the final six innings of action. While Moore limited the Arkansas-Monticello bats, it was senior Will Gowdy and sophomore Brock Green who combined to finish 8-for-10 with 4 RBIs and five runs scored. The duo, combined with a 1-for-5 performance with 3 RBI from junior Cass Via provided enough offense to finish off Arkansas-Monticello in easy fashion.
In Game 4, Ouachita Baptist committed five team errors and left 11 runners on base, but in the final two innings provided six runs in opportunistic fashion, coming from behind to erase a 9-4 deficit to win 10-9 in the bottom of the seventh.
Gowdy took the no-decision on the mound for Ouachita, going 2.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits. Junior Sam McGill (5-2) went 4.2 innings for the victory in relief, giving up two earned runs on six hits.
Down 9-7 going into their final at-bat, junior Cass Via started the inning off with a single with one out. Junior Steve Mirizzi followed with an RBI double to left center to cut the deficit to 9-8. After senior Drew Baker walked and freshman Duncan Collins singled to left field, senior Will Gowdy recorded a sacrifice RBI to center field to tie the game at 9-9. An intentional walk to Green loaded the bases with two outs, and senior Luke Hardcastle walked to provide the game-winning RBI to win 10-9.
Baker finished at 3-for-3 in the leadoff spot for Ouachita, while freshman Duncan Collins went 3-for-4 with an RBI. While Gowdy finished just 1-for-4 at the plate, the All-American provided 4 RBI for the Tigers.
Ouachita Baptist returns to Rab Rodgers Field on Wednesday, April 7 to take on GSC-East opponent West Alabama in a non-conference double header at 1 p.m.
