Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles racked up 14 hits and got an outstanding pitching performance from freshman Tre Crockett Wednesday to pick up an 8-3 win over Hendrix College.
Crockett, a native Sherman, Texas, threw 4.1 innings as the starter and had a shutout going through his entire time on the mound. Crockett allowed four hits and was eventually charged with two earned runs. But the Eagles (3-4) got behind the freshman, who displayed proficient control, and spotted him five runs after three innings. In the first, Josh Woolly had an RBI and Justin Crider launched a deep double to right center field to score two more runs in the second. Zach Jones followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0. Ozarks added another run in the third on Fielder Dufrene's RBI single. In the fourth, freshman left-handed hitter Chase Edwards blasted his first collegiate home run to push the lead to 5-0. Meanwhile, Crockett cruised through four complete innings, including inducing a double play, and fanned three during that span. Hendrix (1-8) had a rally in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but Dylan McLemore recorded a strikeout and Jacob Barker later followed with a force out at second base to end it.
Crockett (1-0) gave up four hits and issued two walks.
Edwards was one of four hitters for Ozarks with multiple hits. Edwards finished 3-for-5 with an RBI. Jones went 2-for-5, Patrick Mixon went 2-for-4 and Bryce Elder went 2-for-3. Edwards and Crider scored twice.
Ozarks will host Texas Dallas March 3-4 in a three-game series.