Game 7 Takes Extra Innings to Declare Winner: Grey Team Wins 2 to 1

Sunday's game was an action packed thriller. Freshman Tre Crockett took the mound one more time for the Grey Team and once again had a phenomenal outing only giving up 1 run through 7 and 2/3 innings pitched, but his outing was only matched by Eli Gordon, who also had a fantastic outing. Gordon only gave up one hit until the 7th. Gordon was sent back out to the mound in the bottom of the 7th with a one run lead. Eli looked to be completely exhausted as he slowly walked to the mound, shirt drenched with sweat. The first batter he faced was Patrick Clifford, who doubled to right center, on a fastball over the heart of the plate. This was only Gordon's second hit that he had surrendered through his previous 6 innings of work. Catcher Bryce Elder would come to the plate next after a sac bunt by Zac Jones would move Clifford to third. Bryce, who had relatively struggled in the series, and was 0 for 2 on his previous at bats, delivered with a laser shot back up the middle scoring Clifford, and tying the game at one run a piece. Gordon looked to be gassed but some how finished the inning leaving everyone to wonder why Coach Keaton Ramsey didn't go to his bullpen to try and close out game 7 in the last inning with the lead, and why he sent back out, an obviously over worked Eli Gordon to the bump. The game would continue on deadlocked for 3 more innings until the top of the 10th a walk and a costly error would have the Purple Team with there backs against the wall with guys on first and second with no outs. Dakota Ebarb would then be hit by the pitch loading the bases. Left fielder, Mixon, then would loop a lazy fly ball in center just barely deep enough for Ben hall to tag and score. Bobby Ketterer would work his way out of the inning after that only giving up one, but that was all opposing relief pitcher Jacob Barker would need. With runners in scoring position in the bottom half of the inning, Barker would come up with a big strike out to end the game and win the series, against a dangerous hitter in Justin Crider. Barker would leave with the win, though Bobby Ketterer would be hit with the loss. This was a extremely gutsy series for the Grey team. After being down 3 games to 1, they found a way to come back and win 3 straight games to take the series in 7 games. Center fielder Zach Walker said, "This is a great win, and an extremely good team, that I was lucky enough to be a part of. It is exciting to win this, and a lot of fun to be out here with these guys, but really I hope this is a good sign for the spring. Hopefully these close games during the series prepared us for some close games we look forward to winning during the spring when the season rolls around." This game closes out the Eagles fall season, as they look forward to the spring, and trying to make an impact in the ASC this year.

Late inning heroics forces game 7 in a 3 to 2 win for the Grey Team

Game 6 faced off Brady Taylor for the Grey Team, and Dalton Spurgeon for the Purple Team. The game was really a pitching duel as both teams pitchers only gave up a combined 8 hits with 9 strikeouts. The game would stay deadlocked until the top of the 7th when the Grey Team would push across two runs on reliever Keaton Ramsey, on a Patrick Clifford single through the middle with 2 outs. The Purple Team did not blink though returning the favor in the bottom of the inning as sophomore Tristan Leonard would have a clutch RBI single with 1 out, followed by a sac fly by Alex Smith to tie the game. The next inning Jake Holland would come in relief for the Purple Team in hopes to preserve the tie, and he would until the 10th when an unlikely hero stepped in the box for the Grey Team. With two outs and Holland cruising, not yet to surrender a hit in extra inning play, Gabe Figueroa hit a towering homerun to right, his first of the fall and of his college career. That on homerun was all the Grey Team needed as Dylan McLemore would finish of his relief appearance receiving the win. Gabe’s homeruns propels the Grey Team to a decisive game 7 with the Purple Team being the home team.

Grey Team takes game 5, 5 to 7: Grey Team Down 2 Games to 3 Now

Game 5 had Freshman Shawn Hardcrow starting for the Grey Team, and Senior, Luke Vera, starting for the visiting Purple Team. The bottom of the 2nd inning RJ opened up the scoring for the Grey Team, with a bases loaded single, and followed up by a 2 RBI single by Crockett. The Purple Team would get one run back in the top of the 4th on and RBI single through the right side by Eli Gordon. In the top of the 5th inning the Purple Team would get one more run back without recording a hit in the inning. Alex Smith walked to tart the inning, and later in the inning an error by right fielder Gabe Figueroa scored Alex. But in the bottom of the 5th Zac Jones would single to right would score Dakota Ebarb. The rest of the game was about the Grey Teams bullpen. Tyler Vernon came in the 6th to throw a scoreless inning with 2 strikeouts, then in the 7th the short stop, Jacob Barker, took the mound to close the door and that is exactly what he did as he got two quick fly ball outs, and then struck out Jake Smith to end the game. Hardcrow would get the win as he pitched 5 innings with 3 strikeouts, and Barker would get the save in the Grey Team's win. Game 6 takes place at 4 this evening at Lonnie R. Qualls Field.

Purple Team Wins 8 to 4: Take Series Lead 2 Games to 1

Pivotal game 3 had the Grey Team as the home team, while the Purple Team was the visitors. Brady Taylor took the bump for the Grey Team, while Eli Gordon took the hill for the Purple Team. Taylor had rough first two innings as he gave up two runs on two hits, but he would settle down and throw 3 innings of shut out ball, and really made this game a pitching dual, as Gordon would pitch 5 inning of scoreless baseball. In the 6th inning Taylor's luck would turn as he would give a 2 RBI double to Josh Wooly on a ball blasted deep to left center. Freshman Pitcher, Shawn Harcrow, came in in relief, but the struggles would continue for the Grey Team, as he would give up 4 more runs, on RBI hits by Jake Smith, and Fielder Dufrene. They also would score a run on a squeeze bunt by Tristan Leonard. In the bottom of the 6th the Grey Team would retaliate as 2 errors and a hit by Zac Jones, would put two runners on to start the inning and put the Grey Team in a great position to score. Elder would hit into a fielders choice that would score Barker. Zach Walker would then hit an RBI double, then would advance to third on a throwing error that would also score Elder. Crockett would then hit a RBI groundout to score Walker. Gordon would work his way out of the inning though after giving up 4 runs making the score 6 to 4. Harcrow would settle down in the 7th striking out the side for the Purple Team. Bobby Ketterer was sent out to the mound to try and close the door on the Grey team and that is exactly what he did, as he retired the side in order to end the game. Eli Gordon recorder the win going a series high 6 inning, and also with a series high with 5 strike outs. The series continues tomorrow at 9AM as the Grey Team takes home field once again.

Purple Team Retalates, Wins 14 to 4: Evens the Series at 1 a Piece

Game two of the Purple and Grey World Series was a role reversal from game one. Game 2 had freshman pitcher, Jack Waggner, taking the bump facing sophomore pitcher, Dalton Spurgeon. Jack came into this game already posting some good numbers for the fall, as he had given up zero runs all fall in 13 innings of work. They Grey team struck first scoring one run in the top of the first, but the Purple team would answer in the bottom of the first scoring 2 runs on 3 hits, and giving the freshman pitcher his first earned runs of the fall season. It would get even more ugly for the freshman righty in the bottom of the second, as he gave up 4 more runs, including a 3 RBI opposite field blast to left by freshman first basemen, Chase Edwards.
With the score being 6 to 1 in the top of the 3rd inning left fielder, Mixon, for the Grey team would return the favor and hit his own 3 run bomb, making the score 6 to 4 But unfortunately these were the last runs scored for the Grey teams, as the Purple team would score 8 more unanswered runs. The 8 unanswered runs would include 5 more hits.
Waggner would earn the loss, and Spurgeon would grab the win, and the complete game. The purple team had 4 players with multi hit games. Purple team's, Chase Edwards, posted a 6 RBI day, with a homerun, a double, and also a single. Josh Wooly also homered, while Alex Smith, Jake Smith, and Fielder Dufrene were all 2-3.
This win for the Purple team ties the series a 1 a piece. The series continues Friday at 4, as the Grey team will take home field advantage.

The Purple and Grey World Series: Grey Team Dominates in Game One 10 to 2

Today started another year of an Ozarks Baseball tradition, the Purple and Grey World Series. This is a long running tradition for the baseball program. The Fall Baseball season regulated by the NCAA has officially ended and the coaches can no longer lead practices, but the players set up a 7 game series, where the seniors are split into 2 teams and draft the remaining underclassmen. It is an interesting event, this is completely player ran and voluntary, if players cannot make the games, or have class that interferes, they are not required to show up. The seniors on each teams are also the coaches, they choose lineups, batting orders, and pitching rotations, the coaches are totally left out on the entire process and have no impact or say so on the games. The games are 7 inning games with a run rule of 8 runs after 5 innings. Andrew Beck (Grey Team) and Keaton Ramsey (Purple Team) are the opposing player/coaches, because they are both suffering from injuries and are not able to play in the series. This game is played for bragging rights, and is a lot of the players' favorite part of the fall. The starting lineups for each team were as follows:

 

The Purple Team was the home team on the left, and the Grey Team was the away team on the right. 

The matchup had freshman pitcher, Tre Crockett, versus senior pitcher, Luke Vera. The veteran pitcher, Vera, got off to a rough start giving up 5 runs in only an inning and 2/3 work, and it did not get any better for reliever, Reed Maddox, as he gave up 5 runs as well. The Grey team dominated the entire game, and Tre Crockett was a star from them, not only on the bump, but at the dish as well. The dynamic freshman went the full five innings, striking out four, and getting the complete game after the run rule. Crockett only giving up 2 runs also aided his win by hitting a 2 RBI double, and going 1 for 2 with a walk. The Purple team's offence refused to show up today as they only tallied 5 hits, while the Grey team tallied 9 hits scoring 10 runs. Game two starts tomorrow at 4pm. The Grey team will be the home team as the Purple team will be the visitors.

 

Senior of the Week: Alex Smith

Our second "Senior of the Week" piece focuses on senior outfielder, Alex Smith. Alex Smith was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to his parents, Stewart and Laura Smith. He grew up in Springdale, Arkansas, where he attended Springdale High School. Not only was Alex a stand out center fielder for Springdale, but he also was a standout on the football field as well. After high school, Alex committed to the University of the Ozarks. His freshman year, Alex burst on the scene playing in 27 games, and leading the team with 7 steals. His sophomore year he was second on the team in batting average and once again led the team in steals. His junior year Alex posted 47 at-bats in 16 games. Alex is posed to have a fantastic senior season as he hopes to lead the Eagles to the conference tournament.