'Roo Baseball Splits with Ozarks

CLARKSVILLE, Ark. - The Austin College baseball team opened up the 2021 campaign with a split at the University of Ozarks on Sunday, taking game one 7-5 before falling 5-4 in game two.

The 'Roos struck first in game one, putting a run across in the top of the third to go ahead 1-0 on an RBI double by Nick Flynn. Sergio De Paoli scored on an error in the fifth to make it a 2-0 game, but Ozarks would grab the lead in the bottom half of the inning with four runs in the frame. It wouldn't take long for the 'Roos to square things up again, plating two runs in the top of the sixth to even things up at 4-4, and each team would tally again in the seventh to force extra innings with the score knotted at five runs apiece.

Cody Goggins drew a bases loaded walk to put Austin College ahead, and Flynn came home on a balk to make it a 7-5 game. Jackson Chaviers came on to close the door on the Eagles in the bottom half of the inning to earn the save. Max Danielsen picked up the win in relief, allowing no runs on one hit in 1.0 innings of work. Flynn and Jake Webster each went 2-for-4 to lead the 'Roos at the plate.

In game two, Austin College once again took an early lead when they plated three runs in the top of the first. Zack Mahoney got things started with an RBI double, and Justin Alphonse knocked in a pair of runs with a single to center. Ozarks would get one run back in the bottom half of the inning, and three runs in the bottom of the fifth put the Eagles on top 4-3. Logan Ballard singled home a run in the sixth to even things up, but the Eagles would plate another run in the bottom of the inning to make it a 5-4 final.

Garrett Gray took the loss in relief, surrendering one unearned run in 0.2 innings of action. Webster went 3-for-4 at the dish, while Mahoney and Alphonse each picked up a pair of hits.