Clarksville, Ark. - University of the Ozarks rallied late to secure a 9-7 comeback win over Austin College in game two of Saturday's double-header, erasing a two-run deficit with a three-run ninth inning.
Ozarks struck first in the second inning when Collin May drew an RBI walk to plate an unearned run. Austin answered with two runs in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead, capitalizing on an Ozarks error and a sacrifice groundout.
The Eagles surged back in the fifth with four runs. Connor Reed drove in a run on a groundout before Langdon Townsend and Jacob Knox delivered RBI singles. Brett Burks capped the inning with an RBI double to left-center, giving Ozarks a 5-2 advantage.
Austin responded immediately in the bottom half with a five-run inning and the Roos were in front 7-5.
Ozarks chipped away in the seventh when Townsend grounded out to score an unearned run, trimming the deficit to 7-6.
The decisive rally came in the ninth. Reed laced a two-run single to left-center to give the Eagles an 8-7 lead, and Knox followed with his third hit of the game — an RBI single through the left side — to add an insurance run.
Knox paced the offense, going 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Reed finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. May added two hits, and Ozarks totaled 11 on the afternoon.
On the mound, Jeter Fulbright (2-2) earned the win in relief, tossing four innings and allowing just one hit while striking out four. The bullpen combination of Julius McClellan and Jose Sianca helped limit the damage after Austin's fifth-inning outburst.
The Eagles fell 16-3 in game one as the Kangaroos used a pair of big innings to pull away early.
Austin struck first in the opening inning on a solo home run, but Ozarks answered in the second when Michael White delivered a two-run double to left, scoring Brett Burks and Tyler Michlitsch to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the third. Austin erupted for six runs, capitalizing on an Ozarks error and stringing together timely hits, including an RBI double and a two-run single. The Roos added a steal of home during the inning to extend the lead to 7-2. Austin continued to build the margin with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Ozarks plated its final run in the sixth on a Tyler Michlitsch RBI groundout that scored Connor Reed, but could not generate sustained offense against the Austin starting pitcher.
Jacob Key (1-1) took the loss for the Eagles. Ozarks used five pitchers in relief as Austin totaled 14 hits and drew seven walks.
White led Ozarks at the plate with a two-run double, while Reed, Burks and Britton Smith each recorded a hit.
The Eagles will travel to Batesville to take on Lyon College March 3.
