CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – A seventh inning rally propelled East Texas Baptist University to the opening series victory over the University of the Ozarks, 14-9, as the Tigers won their fourth straight game. ETBU is now 6-2 on the year and 4-0 in the American Southwest Conference.
Braden Karnes received the win going just one inning in the sixth with two strikeouts.
Cole Godkin started the game giving up six runs on six hits posting six strikeouts for the no decision.
Trent Clark went two innings after Karnes with two strikeouts as
Mackenson Bobo and
Jagger Neely also saw the mound.
ETBU posted 17 hits as
Brett Wagner continued his strong hitting going 3-of-6 for six RBI and three runs scored. He posted two home runs and double.
Will Kelley also had three hits with two runs scored.
Christopher Robinson added two hits and three RBI along with
Ben Lea (2 RBI) as both had home runs.
Jake Miller finished with three hits and one RBI.
Ozarks struck early taking a 6-1 lead through five innings. ETBU scored their first run in the second inning when Lea homered. ETBU cut the lead in half to three runs in the sixth inning adding two scores on a Wagner RBI and Robinson sacrifice fly.
It was the seventh inning that changed the game. After Ozarks recorded two outs, ETBU unleashed on a new pitcher coming in scoring seven runs to make it 10-6. Wagner doubled in the first two runs of the inning to pull within one, 6-5. This is when UO made the pitching change. Robinson followed with a single to tie the game at six and then a Lea single made it 7-6 as Robinson scored.
Carson Wilson then singled in Lea with a hit to left center field as
Nicolas Chavez made it 9-6 on a RBI single. Three batters later, Miller walked with the bases loaded for the 10
th run of the game and a four-run lead, 10-6.
Wagner homered in the eighth inning for the 11
th run and then followed with his second home run of the game in ninth inning for a 13-6 lead. Robinson ended ETBU's scoring with the third home run in the final two innings for an eight-run advantage, 14-6. UO did score three runs in the ninth but fell, 14-9.
ETBU will play the double header on Saturday starting at 12 p.m. in Clarksville.