CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – The Louisiana College baseball team got a fast start and used a last inning rally to end a six-game skid by taking game one against Ozarks but would have to settle for a doubleheader split against the Eagles after taking the first game 6-4 before dropping game two 10-1 Saturday afternoon at Lonnie R. Qualls Field.
Game 1 - Louisiana College 6, University of the Ozarks 4
The Wildcats used a big first inning to jump out quick on the Eagles in game one. With runners on first and second with one out,
Beau Freeman found the left field line for a double to score both
Alex Ashby and
Christian Vandergrift for the early lead. Right after that,
Ty Morgan stepped up and drove a pitch he liked over the left-center wall for a two-run home run to up the LC lead to 4-0 after just a half-inning of play.
But the short-handed 'Cats started to see the offense slow, and Ozarks scored two in the third inning to cut the lead down to 4-2 and then a two-run Eagles home run in the fourth tied the game at four.
With both teams settling down and holding the opposing offense scoreless over the next two innings, game one would come down to the final inning and one big swing would put the Wildcats up to stay. With one out in the top of the seventh and final inning,
Christian Vandergrift came up and blasted a solo shot to left to break the deadlock. Now in the lead, the Wildcats went in search of some insurance and they would get it as a
Ju'Juan Franklin single was followed by a
Beau Freeman RBI double to the right-center gap that scored Franklin for the 6-4 lead. In the bottom half, the Eagles were retired in order to secure the win.
Christian Vandergrift,
Beau Freeman, and
Ty Morgan all went two-for-four in game one. Vandergrift's game-winning home run was his eighth of the season which accounted for his lone RBI and one of his two runs scored in the contest. He also stole a base in the game. Morgan's home run was his sixth of 2021 and accounted for both of his RBI and his run scored in the contest. Both of Freeman's base hits were doubles and he drove in three runs and scored once.
Colten Newsom (5-1) had his second longest outing of the season, going 6.0 innings and allowing nine hits and four runs, all earned, one walk and six strikeouts.
Beau Hebert came on in the seventh and collected his third save of the season by getting all three Eagle batters he faced out, including one by strikeout.
Game 2 – Louisiana College 1, University of the Ozarks 10
The nightcap got away from the Wildcats early as LC found itself down 3-0 after one inning and 5-0 after two. The deficit hit 9-0 following the fourth.
LC got something going in the sixth inning to score their lone run.
Beau Freeman singled to center with one out, and then moved to third on a single by
Nicolas Ramos. An error by the Eagle shortstop allowed Freeman to come home to score.
Beau Freeman went two-for-four with a double and a run scored.
Austin Willey had two hits in three plate appearances.
Ju'Juan Franklin and
Ty Morgan both also hit doubles in the contest.
Dylan Coburn (2-2) went 1.1 innings and four hits and four runs, three earned, walked one and didn't strike out any batters.
Gerald Groue, Jr. had the longest outing in game two, throwing five full innings and allowed nine hits and five runs, four earned, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Austin Thiels finished off the final 1.2 innings and gave up three hits and one run, which was earned, with no walks or strikeouts.
The Wildcats (21-11, 17-6 ASC) look to secure the series win over Ozarks (15-11, 13-7 ASC) on Sunday. First pitch of the rubber game against the Eagles is set for 12:00 P.M. at Lonnie R. Qualls Field.
