ARKADELPHIA -- Ouachita Baptist defeated the University of the Ozarks, 4-2, Tuesday afternoon at Rab Rodgers Field to snap a monthlong, 15-game losing streak.
The Tigers (11-32, 6-21 Great American Conference) snapped the Eagles' two-game winning streak. The University of the Ozarks (15-16) is currently sixth out of 13 teams at 10-8 in the NCAA Division III American Southwest Conference.
Senior third baseman Preston Speers, of McKinney, Texas, was the offensive player of the game for the Tigers. He batted 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and a trio of RBIs.
The Tigers had to come from behind as the Eagles took an early 2-0 advantage in the top of the second inning.
Ouachita battled back in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners at the corners and two away in the inning already, Speers hit a two-run double to left-center field to score seniors Austin White and Jakahari Howell, both of Arkadelphia. Speers scored several batters later on an RBI single to left field by redshirt freshman second baseman Tee Collier, of Bryant, as Ouachita took a 3-2 lead.
Speers struck again for the Tigers with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. He sent a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall for the decisive 4-2 lead.
Freshman right-hander Luke Scaggs, of Frisco, Texas, shut the door on the Eagles' offense in the final two innings. Scaggs threw two innings of no-hit baseball to pick up his first save of the season and Ouachita's second team save of the year.
Junior left-hander Bo Sutton (2-4), of Collierville, Tenn., allowed two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk in five innings. Freshman righty Michael Shepherd, of Cabot, threw two innings of no-hit relief.
Ouachita will be at home again this weekend to face off against Southwestern Oklahoma State (21-18, 15-10). Senior day festivities will be held Saturday at Rab Rodgers Field.
The first game of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon.
Sports on 04/19/2018