Ouachita takes two last-at bat wins over Harding
Harding Sports
Scott Goode, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
ARKADELPHIA – Ouachita Baptist won both games of a Great American Conference doubleheader Sunday in their final at-bat, defeating Harding 14-13 in game one and 6-5 in game two. The two teams conclude the three-game series Monday at 2 p.m. at Ouachita’s Rab Rodgers Field.
Harding came from 10 runs down to tie the opener, but Ouachita scored in the bottom of the ninth to win game one.
Ouachita scored eight times in the third inning and led 12-2 after six. Harding was three outs away from the game ending due to the NCAA’s 10-run rule, but scored five runs in the seventh to cut Ouachita’s lead to 12-7. Harding tallied the five runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Brenden Perrett, who came in to catch earlier in the game, hit a grand slam in his first collegiate at-bat.
Harding added four more in the eighth, three scoring on a bases-loaded double by Grant Guest.
Harding trailed 13-11 entering the ninth, but scored twice to tie the game. David Butterfield was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Brooks Pitaniello, and Guest tied it with a sacrifice fly.
Ouachita’s Tee Collier doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth and scored the game-winning run on Luis Steen’s RBI single to left.
Perrett was 2-for-2 with a run and four RBIs to lead the Bisons. Guest also had four RBIs.
Reed Roberts (0-3) entered in the ninth and took the loss. Ouachita reliever Kaden Tollett (2-1) got the win.
Harding had a 4-1 lead in game two after scoring three in the top of the second and another in the top of the sixth, but Ouachita had four hits and scored three runs in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4.
Harding retook the lead 6-5 in the seventh. Zach Beasleywalked with one out and was replaced by Pitaniello as a pinch runner. Pitaniello moved to second on Luke Van Dover‘s single and to third on a passed ball. Connor Kellydrove in Pitaniello with an infield ground out.
Mason Faulkner came on pitch the seventh for the Bisons. Kyle Alexander reach on an error to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Chandler Blake. With two outs, Ty Owens singled to score Blake and tie the game. Collier doubled to drive in Owens with the winning run.
Guest and Jack Thomas had two hits and an RBI each to lead Harding in game two.
Faulkner (0-2) got the loss. Ouachita reliever Brandon Matros (1-0) picked up the win.
Harding starter Tanner Smith did not allow a hit in the first four innings. He left after six, having allowed four earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts.