April 26, 2008

Game 1 Stats | Game 2 Stats

MEMPHIS--No. 25 Ouachita Baptist eliminated the Christian Brothers University Bucs from contention for the Gulf South Conference Tournament as they swept a doubleheader Saturday, winning the first game 8-4 before taking game two 16-3.

In the first game, Tiger starter Steve Smith (7-1) struck out 11 as he tossed a complete game in OBU's 8-4 win.

The Tigers (42-12, 11-8 GSC West) wasted little time taking control, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and two more in the second. After a walk and a hit batter, a Rudy Jovanovski single brought a run, and another walk loaded the bases, and a groundout and an error allowed two more runs to come home.

In the second inning, OBU's Justin Pennell hit a two-run homer, the first of two in the game for the senior right-fielder.

The Bucs (16-28, 7-12) began to close the gap in the bottom of the second as Joseph Kaminski (Sherwood, Ark./Little Rock Catholic HS) singled and scored on a wild pitch. They shaved another run off the lead in the third when Mark Foster (Cordova, Tenn./Cordova HS) launched his fourth homer of the year to left, but the Tigers plated two more in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 7-2.

The Bucs came a run closer in the seventh as Kaminski singled and scored on an Alvino Ramirez (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial HS) single.

Pennell's second homer of the game stretched the lead back to five runs at 8-3.

The Bucs mounted a rally in the ninth, threatening to stay alive in the GSC Tournament hunt. With one out, Matt Trouy (Millington, Tenn./Millington HS), Bobby Lawrence (Germantown, Tenn./St. Benedict HS), and Foster loaded the bases with three straight singles. Josh Shelton (Rosemark, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) hit a sharp grounder that the OBU second baseman deflected into shallow center for a single, but Lawrence was tagged out trying to score on the play, ending the game.

Foster, Shelton, and Kaminski collected two hits each for the Bucs.

In game two, Ouachita starter Chase Baran (9-2) allowed three runs on eight hits as he earned the win.

The Tigers exploded for five runs in the second inning and never looked back in the second game. They tacked on another run in the third and two in the fifth to take an 8-0 margin. They doubled their lead in the sixth, scoring eight more.

The Bucs finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Lawrence walked, and singles by Andrew Griffy (Arlington, Tenn./Bolton HS) and Foster loaded the bases with none out. Shelton drove in a run with a groundout, and Ryan McCabe (Richmond, Texas/B.F. Terry HS) singled another run in. The Bucs scored again in the seventh to set the final margin as Lawrence hit his fifth homer of the year.

Griffy and Foster had two hits each for the Bucs in game two, while Lawrence scored two runs.

The Bucs will finish their season tomorrow at 1 p.m., weather permitting, with a nine-inning game against OBU.