Clarksville, Ark. – A pair of two-run home runs by freshman Chase Edwards and sophomore Dakota Ebarb helped spur the Eagles (8-9, 3-6) to a 5-4 win over Grinnell College (3-4) in game one of Sunday's doubleheader.
Ozarks kicked off scoring in the first with an RBI single by Andrew Beck through the left side that plated Josh Woolly. The Eagles then tapped into their offensive power in the bottom of the third, with a two-run home run to right center by Edwards and another two-run jack by Ebarb over the left field wall that put Ozarks up 5-0 through three complete innings.
In the top of the fourth frame, the Pioneers took advantage of a fielding error and put the ball in play to bring two runs across despite not having a hit in the inning. Grinnell would plate another run in the top of the seventh after a throwing error on a steal with runners on first and second.
Jacob Barker came in to pitch in relief for the Eagles with runners at first and second with only one out in the eighth. One run came across in the eighth, but Barker held Grinnell scoreless in the ninth and earned himself his third save of the season.
Freshman pitcher Jack Waggoner had a stellar performance on the mound for Ozarks as well, improving his record to 2-2 after six complete innings of work with no earned runs and three strikeouts.
Edwards was a triple short of the cycle at the plate in game one, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and his third home run of the season. Ebarb's home run was his first of the season.
Game two of doubleheader action resulted in an 11-8 victory for Grinnell, as they mounted a six-run rally in the seventh to take the final lead of the game.
The Pioneers capitalized on an error to bring across two runs and tie the game in the fourth, then plated two more off an Eagles error and an RBI sacrifice fly by Nathan Zaroban to go up 5-3 in the fifth.
Edwards and Beck each added sacrifice RBI flies in the bottom of the fifth frame to level the score 5-5. Ebarb added another single in the sixth and Jordan Jones put him in scoring position with a double to left center. Dufrene kept the hitting streak going with an RBI double to left field, giving the Eagles a 7-5 lead.