2017-2018 News
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Athletic Department Releases New Promotional Video
July 09, 2018Clarksville, Ark.- The University of the Ozarks athletic department released a new promotional video Monday (July 9). -
Winter/Spring ASC All-Academic Team Announced
June 05, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-32 University of the Ozarks student-athletes were named to the 2017-2018 winter/spring American Southwest Conference All-Academic Team, it was announced by the league office Tuesday (June 5).
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Softball Program Hires Coach From NCAA Division III Powerhouse
May 31, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-Fresh off the NCAA Division IIII National Softball Championship game, Illinois Wesleyan University Assistant Coach Denise Prather has been hired as the University of the Ozarks new softball coach, Athletics Director Jimmy Clark announced Thursday (May 31).
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ASC Awards Softball All-Conference Honors
May 07, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-University of the Ozarks softball players Brooke Hoffsommer, Abby Mork, Hannah Oler, Hailey Ostrander and Katie Ventress were named All-Conference by the American Southwest Conference, it was announced Monday, May 7.
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Softball Team’s Historic Run Comes To An End At ASC Championship Tournament
May 03, 2018Tyler, Texas-The softball team’s historic run to the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament came to an end Thursday as Texas Dallas took a narrow 5-4 win.
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Hannah Oler Named ASC Hitter of the Week
April 30, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-University of the Ozarks senior first baseman Hannah Oler was named the American Southwest Conference Hitter of the Week, the conference announced Monday (April 30).
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Softball Team Completes Sweep; Advances To The Playoffs
April 28, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-It was a big day for the University of the Ozarks softball team. Not only was it Senior Day, the 2018 club made history as it clinched a spot in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament with an extra inning 7-6 win over McMurry University. Senior Katie Ventress drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to send her teammates into a frenzy. Hailey Ostrander laced a single to lead off the bottom half, and Ventress calmly ripped a shot to left field to score Ostrander. The Eagles needed a comeback as they trailed 5-1 after two innings. The Eagles responded with four runs in the third on five hits. The Eagles recorded back-to-back hits and Ventress had a sacrifice fly to bring in one run. Hannah Oler followed with a single and Taylor Teague continued the momentum with an RBI double. The next batter, Kieara Bryant, had an RBI double to tie the game 5-5. In the fourth, the Eagles scratched across a run, but McMurry answered with a run in the top of the fifth. From there, Ventress kept the War Hawks off the board as she pitched four scoreless innings in relief. At the plate, Ventress finished 3-for-4 with three RBI. Ostrander went 4-for-5 with three runs and Oler went 3-for-4.
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Softball Team Makes History; Advances To ASC Championship Tournament
April 28, 2018Clarksville, Ark.- The University of the Ozarks softball team made history as it qualified for its first American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament appearance in program history.
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Softball Team Takes Friday Twinbill
April 27, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles' offense flexed its muscles during a 10-1 blowout win over McMurry University Friday afternoon. The home team posted three runs in the first and seven runs in the fifth. Hannah Oler launched a three-run homer in the first and then proceeded to throw a five-hit complete game. Oler kept the War Hawks off the board until the fifth inning. In the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles blasted McMurry for seven runs on four hits. McMurry didn't help its cause by committing three errors in the frame. The highlight of the inning came when Kieara Bryant hammered out a three-run homer to end the contest. Prior to that, Brooke Hoffsommer, Oler and Taylor Teague all drove in runs. Oler scattered five hits over five innings and did not issue a walk. She also finished with four RBI at the plate.
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Smith, Rankin Named Athletes of the Year At OZZY Awards
April 24, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-The second annual University of the Ozarks OZZY awards took place Tuesday, April 24 in the Rogers Conference Center where numerous student-athletes and teams were honored for their outstanding athletic and academic seasons.
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No. 3 UT-Tyler Completes Softball Sweep
April 21, 2018Tyler, Texas-Nationally ranked UT-Tyler completed a three-game sweep against the Eagles by winning game three of the series 8-0. UT-Tyler scored once in the first and two more times in the second inning. In the fifth, the Patriots had a big inning scoring four runs on four hits. The Eagles recorded five hits in the game, but couldn’t generate any runs. Katie Ventress and Hannah Oler had two hits each.
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No. 3 UT-Tyler Takes Softball Double-Header
April 20, 2018Tyler, Texas-Nationally ranked UT-Tyler tossed a no-hitter against the Eagles in a 3-0 game one win. The Patriots scored two in the fourth and one in the fifth to secure the game. Starting pitcher Hannah Oler allowed only four hits against the potent UT-Tyler bats. The Eagles’ offense struck out ten times. UT-Tyler followed up a no-hit game one win with a one-hit 9-0 run-rule victory. A consistent Patriot offense put runs on the board in every inning it batted.
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Softball Team Sweeps Hardin-Simmons
April 15, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-A big 11-run second inning that saw a Katie Ventress grand slam and a Riki Haase solo home run helped the Eagles to a 12-5 game three victory over Hardin-Simmons University and complete a sweep.
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Softball Team Edges Hardin-Simmons In Double-Header
April 14, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-Senior pitcher Hannah Oler threw a five-hit complete game and senior Katie Ventress hit a solo home run to push the Eagles past Hardin-Simmons University 2-1. The Eagles struck first when Hailey Ostrander singled in a run in the second inning. Katie Ventress then hit a solo home run in the third to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage. Hardin-Simmons did score once in the fifth, but Oler closed the door in the sixth and seventh innings. Oler issued just one walk and was charged with one earned run. Ventress finished 2-for-3 at the plate.
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Student-Athletes Celebrate NCAA III Week With Field Day
April 12, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-For the third straight year, University of the Ozarks student-athletes celebrated National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III Week by hosting a Field Day for local students from self-contained classrooms.
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LeTourneau Pitches Shutout In Game Three Against Eagles
April 08, 2018Longview, Texas-LeTourneau University pitched a one-hit shutout in game three to earn a 8-0 victory and complete a sweep against the Eagles. LeTourneau scored four big runs in the third inning to open up the game. Brooklyn Keeling had a hit in the second inning to break up a no-hitter. LeTourneau held a 6-0 lead after four innings.
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LeTourneau Softball Team Takes Saturday Double-Header
April 07, 2018Longview, Texas-LeTourneau University built a 8-0 lead after three innings of play and then held off the Eagles to earn a 8-3 victory in game one of Saturday’s double-header. In the fourth, Brooke Hoffsommer singled in Riki Haase to break up the shutout. In the fifth, Ozarks got another RBI single, this time from Katie Ventress. Megan Madden later recorded an RBI in the sixth to bring the score to 8-3. Ventress posted two hits in the loss.
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Spring 2018 Eagle Insider Magazine Released
April 02, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-The Spring 2018 University of the Ozarks Eagle Insider magazine has been released by the Sports Information Office.
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Eagles Top Texas Dallas 7-6 In Game Three
March 24, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles plated one run in the first and the second inning and then scored four times in the fourth to fuel a 7-6 win over Texas Dallas in game three of the conference series. Kieara Bryant produced an RBI in the first while Hailey Ostrander had a sacrifice RBI in the second. Texas Dallas did answer with two runs in the top of the fourth. But the Eagles responded in a big way in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, the Eagles rallied for four runs behind three hits. Brittney Dean and Brooke Hoffsommer had RBI singles. Two more runs came in thanks to a Comet error. Katie Ventress recorded an RBI single in the fifth to give Ozarks a 7-4 lead. Meanwhile, starting pitcher Abby Mork had a no-hitter going through 3.1 innings to start the game. Mork finished with five strikeouts to receive the win. Hannah Oler pitched the final inning to notch a save. The Eagles ended the game by throwing out a runner attempting to advance to third base on a fly out to right field.
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Texas Dallas Notches Double-Header Win
March 23, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles couldn't quite generate enough offense to hold onto an early lead as Texas Dallas won 3-1. In the first, Brittney Dean tripled to right field and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that would be all Ozarks would score. The Comets evened the score in the third and took the lead for good in the fourth. The Eagles put runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't push them across. Brooklyn Keeling paced Ozarks with two hits. In game two, the Eagles once again jumped out to an early 1-0 lead only to have Texas Dallas fight back for a 9-4 win.
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No. 13 Tigers Sweep Series Behind Strong Pitching Performance
March 17, 2018Marshall, Texas-East Texas Baptist University starting pitcher Rocki Tello threw a no-hitter to outlast the Eagles 8-0 Saturday in game three of the American Southwest Conference series. Tello allowed base runners in the first and second inning, but was able to work out of each jam. Meanwhile, the Tigers offense provided Tello with four runs in the first inning. The Tigers scored once in the second and three times in the fourth.
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No. 13 East Texas Baptist Overcomes Deficit To Earn Game Two Win
March 16, 2018Marshall, Texas-The Tigers roared out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning and then plated one run in the second, fourth and fifth innings to secure game one 6-0. Tiger pitcher Rocki Tello shut down the Eagles' bats with a one-hitter. Kieara Bryant broke up the no-hitter in the top of the sixth.
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Softball Team Sweeps Three-Game Series Against Howard Payne
March 09, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-The University of the Ozarks softball team swept Howard Payne University in three games Friday in conference play.
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Hendrix College Softball Team Takes Double-Header
March 07, 2018Conway, Ark.-The Hendrix College Warriors fought off a late-inning rally by the Eagles to narrowly win 3-2 in game one. Hendrix held a 3-0 advantage, but the Eagles plated two runs in the top of the fifth. With tow outs and runners on second and third, Katie Ventress laced a single to centerfield to score both and bring the Eagles within 3-2. From there, the Warriors were able to strand one Ozarks' runner in the sixth and then retire the side in the seventh. Ventress finished 1-for-2 with two RBI.
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Louisiana College Softball Team Upends Eagles
March 03, 2018Pineville, La.-Louisiana College used a consistent offensive attack to upend the Eagles 7-1 Saturday in the final game of the series. The Wildcats posted runs in the first four innings while holding the Eagles scoreless during that stretch. The Eagles had runners on base in the second, third, fifth and sixth inning. In the fifth, Brooke Savoie doubled to right field. Savoie was then advanced to third base on a single, but the Eagles were unable to bring her home. In the following inning, the Eagles generated a run behind three hits. Hailey Ostrander singled in Hannah Oler, who reached base on a double.
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Louisiana College's Settle Controls Game One; Wildcats Take Double-Header Sweep
March 02, 2018Pineville, La.-The Eagles ran into a tough pitcher in Louisiana College's Savannah Settle Friday night as the right-hander struck out 11 to hand the Eagles a 8-1 setback in game one. The Eagles didn't get to Settle until the fourth inning. Trailing 5-0, Brittney Dean doubled in Brooke Hoffsommer for their first run of the game. Following the score, Settle didn't allow a runner in the fifth, sixth or seventh inning. The Eagles recorded two hits in the contest.
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Sul Ross State Sweeps Softball Series
February 17, 2018Alpine, Texas-Sul Ross State University scored five runs in the opening inning en route to a 8-0 American Southwest Conference victory Saturday. Sul Ross recorded two doubles and a single in the first to fuel the early lead. Ozarks couldn't recover and ended the game with just three hits. Sul Ross put runs on the board in the first four innings and struck out seven Ozarks' batters. Two of Ozarks hits were for extra bases.
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Sul Ross State Opens Series With Double-Header Sweep Over Ozarks
February 16, 2018Alpine, Texas-The Eagles scored a combined 12 runs over two games Friday, but still came up empty in their American Southwest Conference opener against Sul Ross State University. The Lobos built a 5-0 lead after three innings before Ozarks made an offensive push in the fourth. Hannah Oler and Brooklyn Keeling had RBI singles to score the Eagles first runs of the game. Oler would end up scoring on an error. With the lead cut to 5-3, Sul Ross State came back and scored five in the bottom of the fourth. The Eagles would claw back again in the next frame, scoring two runs to make it 10-5. Sydney Key doubled in a run and Brooke Savoie recorded a sacrifice fly to score another. In the sixth, Brooke Hoffsommer hit a solo home run to give the Eagles their sixth run of the game. Katie Ventress went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead Ozarks. Abby Mork took the loss in the circle. In game two, the Eagles would strike first scoring a run in the opening frame behind a Brittney Dean RBI double. Sul Ross State responded with two runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the bottom of the second. The Eagles would cut the deficit to 4-3 in the third on a Hannah Oler two-run homer. Ozarks followed that by tying the game the next inning on a Katie Ventress RBI single. But Sul Ross State was able to push across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth. With Sul Ross State leading 7-4, Ozarks responded again in the top of the sixth with two runs. This time Dean blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence. Sul Ross State had a two-out hit to score a run in the bottom of the sixth, and then held Ozarks scoreless in the top of the seventh to end the game. Oler took the loss.
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Softball Team Drops Heart-Breaker To Open Season
February 09, 2018Texarkana, Texas-The Eagles would tie the game 1-1 in the top of the seventh and then take a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth only to have Texas A&M-Texarkana spoil Ozarks season-opener 3-2 Friday on the road. Neither team was able to generate much offense through four innings, but Texas A&M-Texarkana did plate a run in the fifth. In the seventh, Ozarks loaded the bases to start the inning. Hannah Oler eventually scored to even the game 1-1 on a Riki Haase sacrifice RBI. In the eighth, Brittany Dean doubled in Katie Ventress to put the Eagles in front 2-1. However, the home team got a two-out double to begin the late-inning rally. Following a walk, Texas A&M-Texarkana recorded another double, which scored the game-winning run. Both teams had seven hits in the game, with Ventress powering her way to a 4-for-4 performance. Texas A&M-Texarkana plated three runs in the first and then followed that with a run in the second and five in the third to record a 10-0 win in game two.
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2018 Softball Preview
February 07, 2018Clarksville, Ark.-Several new faces and three returning senior All-Conference starters will play key roles in the upcoming 2018 University of the Ozarks softball season. The Eagles lost four starters from last year's squad, but have plenty of capable replacements entering the new season. The Eagles have eight new players on the roster and return All-Conference players Katie Ventress, Brooke Hoffsommer and Hannah Oler. The trio is expected to guide an otherwise young team. Ventress, a designated player and pitcher, led the team in batting (.289), hits (28), total bases (44), home runs (4), RBI (17), slugging percentage (.454), walks (13) and on-base percentage (.373). Hoffsommer, an outfielder, led the team with 18 runs and 111 at-bats and ranked second in hits (25) and total bases (30). Oler, a designated player and pitcher, led the team in innings pitched (123.0) and strikeouts (27), while also homering and driving in seven runs. In the circle, she led the club in complete games (14) and recorded one shutout. Oler, Ventress and Abby Mork make up the pitching staff for Rodriguez. With numerous young players competing in the toughest NCAA Division III conference in the country, Rodriguez has emphasized the importance of adjusting to the collegiate game. "The basics of the game don't change much, but the speed of the game does," he said. "Everything is hit or pitched a little harder, and the players move faster. Everything they did prior to collegiate softball has prepared them for this, but now they have to understand they need to make adjustments and move forward."
