SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- After 23 runs, 37 hits and eight pitchers later, it was Ouachita Baptist who came out on top against Missouri S&T in the offensive onslaught, 13-10, in the final round of the Effington Optical Invitational in Springfield, Mo. on Sunday.
Ouachita (11-8) was led by senior Will Gowdy who recorded five RBI, including a 3-run home run (4), as the Tigers outlasted MIssouri S&T (2-12), as Ouachita outscored Missouri S&T 8-2 in the final four innings.
After Missouri S&T opened the first inning with a pair of runs, Ouachita Baptist rallied to score three runs with two outs in the second, led by singles from juniors Ben Warner and Steve Mirizzi and a two-run single from Gowdy to give Ouachita a 3-2 lead.
Missouri S&T answered back with a four-run fourth, grabbing the lead at 6-3. After walks by Warner and Mirizzi, Ouachita freshman Landon Flax slammed a two-run single to right field, cutting the deficit to 6-5. The Miners came back to score twice in the bottom of the fifth, stretching the lead to 8-5.
In the top of the sixth, Gowdy slammed a three-run home run, scoring Warner and Mirizzi after junior Kyle Zimmerman reached on a hit by pitch and scored, giving Ouachita the lead at 9-8.
Both Mirizzi and Zimmerman combined for RBI singles, scoring a pair of runs in the seventh. After both teams went scoreless in the eighth, consecutive singles from Warner and Mirizzi turned into runs as senior Drew Baker recorded an RBI double and Flax finished with an RBI groundout, giving Ouachita a 13-8 lead.
Missouri S&T added two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it wouldn’t be enough as Ouachita Baptist escaped with a 13-10 victory in their third game in as many days at Meador Park in Springfield.
Along with Gowdy’s 5-RBI performance, Mirrizi finished at 4-for-4 with 3 RBI and four runs scored. Flax continued a stellar beginning to his collegiate career with a 3-for-6 afternoon at the plate, including 3 RBI. The freshman finished the tournament 9-for-16 at the plate with 4 RBI and 4 runs, raising his season average to .393.
Ouachita sophomore Zac Treece (4-0) picked up the victory on the mound, laboring 2.1 innings in only allowing one hit. Treece appeared in relief of junior starter Mark Cain who lasted 3.1 innings and allowed six earned runs on 1o hits. Junior Nick Holtgrieve (5) picked up the save in closing out the final two innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits.
Ouachita Baptist returns to action on Tuesday, March 9 against Hendrix at 3 p.m. at Rab Rodgers Field.
