Jerry Helferich went six innings on the mound and Rudy Jovanovski smacked a three-run home run as the fifth-ranked Ouachita Baptist University baseball team scored in double digits for the fifth straight games as the Tigers defeated Drury, 12-3, Sunday afternoon at Rab Rodgers Field.
Helferich surrendered one run on five hits, while striking out six in improving to 2-1 on the season. Zach Treece and Wesley Clingman pitched in relief.
The Tigers (9-2) took advantage of three walks in the bottom of the first inning to take a 5-0 lead.
Blake Lockwood and JoeDan Poulter drew back-to-back walks and Will Gowdy, who went 2-for-3, singled through the left side to load the bases. Jovanovski, who was 1-for-3, followed and walked to plate Lockwood. Drew Maus, who went 2-for-3, ripped a double down the line in right to score Poulter and Gowdy. Brock Green flied out to center for the first out as Jovanovski tagged and scored on the sacrifice fly. With two outs, Luke Hardcastle plated Maus with a single through the left side.
Ouachita added to the advantage in the bottom of the third.
Gowdy began the frame with a double to right center. With one out, Maus walked. Green singled to left center to plate Gowdy as Maus stopped at third.
The Tigers continued to put runs on the board by scoring four runs.
Poulter began the frame with a walk and advanced to second when Gowdy reached on an error by the third baseman. Both runners scored on Jovanovski’s second homer of the season – a three-run blast over the left-center wall. After a pitching change, Maus hit a bloop single to shallow left-center and took second on a ground out by Green. A wild pitch advanced Maus to third and he scored on a ground out by Drew Baker.
Drury (2-5) manufactured a run with two outs in the top of the sixth to cut the Ouachita advantage to 10-1.
The Tigers got the run back in the bottom of the frame and extended the lead.
Lockwood began the inning with a walk and took second on a passed ball. Matt Burton, who pinch hit for Poulter, ripped a double to right-center to score Lockwood. Burton stole second as Kevin Bird struck out for the first out. Jovanovski grounded out to the shortstop as Burton scored the 12th Ouachita run.
The Panthers added a pair of runs off Clingman in the ninth in falling, 12-3
Chris Barratt (0-1) started for the Panthers as he lasted four innings. He gave up six runs on five hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Aaron Quick, Corey Peterson Harrison Waters and Tim Payne pitched in relief.
Ouachita returns to action 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17 at East Central in Ada, Okla.
