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University of the Ozarks

University of The Ozarks Athletics

2023 News

  • Robert Yates Named Assistant Baseball Coach 
    August 23, 2023
         Clarksville, Ark.-Veteran baseball coach and longtime MLB scout Robert Yates has been hired as the new assistant baseball coach at University of the Ozarks, head coach Aaron Gentry announced this week.   
  • ASC Academic All-Conference Announced   
    August 02, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-119 University of the Ozarks student-athletes have been named to the 2022-23 Academic All-Conference Team by the American Southwest Conference, it was announced by the league office August 2.
  • Dallas Brose To Take Over Head Athletic Training Duties 
    July 13, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Dallas Brose will be returning to University of the Ozarks as the head athletic trainer, it was announced by athletic director Jimmy Clark on Wednesday. 
  • Dru Didway Named All-Region
    May 30, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark. – For the second straight season, University of the Ozarks baseball player Dru Didway was named to the D3Baseball.com All-Region 10 Team, it was recently announced by the organization.
  • Athletic Department Hires Assistant Athletic Trainer And Strength And Conditioning Coach 
    May 23, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark. -- University of the Ozarks has hired Lauren Ford as an assistant athletic trainer and David Beck ‘21 as the strength and conditioning coach, athletics director Jimmy Clark announced Tuesday (May 23).
  • Three To Be Inducted Into Sports Hall of Fame
    May 22, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Three alumni have been selected to be inducted into the University of the Ozarks Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Friday, September 29, 2023.
  • U of O Announces $6.2 Million Softball And Baseball Complex
    May 18, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark. -- University of the Ozarks has announced a $6.2 million project to construct new softball and baseball stadiums on its campus.  The two facilities are targeted for completion in early 2024, in time for regular season play.  They represent the second phase of a concerted effort by the University to upgrade all its varsity and intramural athletics facilities.
  • University of the Ozarks To Join Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Fall ‘24
    May 15, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-The University of the Ozarks has accepted an offer of membership into the NCAA Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) effective the 2024-25 academic year.
  • Nine Baseball Players Named All-Conference
    May 10, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Nine University of the Ozarks baseball players were honored by the American Southwest Conference, it was announced Tuesday (May 9) following a vote of the league's head coaches.
  • 2022-23 Athletes of the Year Announced
    May 02, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-The University of the Ozarks Athletic Department held an Athletic Celebration Award Ceremony Tuesday night where numerous student-athletes were recognized, including the Female and Male Athlete of the Year.
  • Tigers Edge Eagles For The Second Straight Day
    April 29, 2023
    Marshall, Texas-For the second straight day, East Texas Baptist University edged the Eagles to complete a three-game sweep. The Eagles end the season after a narrow 6-5 loss in game three of the series. The Eagles went into the ninth inning trailing 4-2, but plated three runs to hold a 5-4 advantage. That inning, Ethan Cash and Kagen Kennedy reached base with no outs. Cash would score on a passed ball. Bryce Cagle then walked and Cole Clark was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a strikeout, Jackson Baker had a clutch single to drive in Kennedy. From there, the Tigers recorded back-to-back strikeouts. The Tigers got the first two batters on base in the bottom of the ninth and then Austin Barry delivered a two-run single to push across the game-winning run. The Eagles led 2-1 after five complete innings, but the Tigers would even the game in the sixth and take a two-run advantage in the eighth. The Eagles outhit the Tigers 10-9.  
  • East Texas Baptist Baseball Takes Friday DH
    April 28, 2023
    Marshall, Texas-The Eagles seventh inning rally fell short as East Texas Baptist University took game one 4-3 on Friday. The Eagles trailed 4-2 heading into the final inning and rallied for one run behind an RBI single from Ethan Cash. The Eagles loaded with bases on an error, a single and a walk with no outs. The Tigers then forced a fly out for the first out. After Cash’s single, the Tigers got a strikeout and a groundout to end the game. The Tigers held a 3-0 lead until the fifth. Cole Clark doubled in Taber Childs for the first run. The Eagles generated another run in the sixth on a Childs solo home run to make it 3-2. The Tigers responded with a run in the bottom half of the sixth. The Eagles recorded eight hits, while the Tigers had six. Childs had two of the eight hits. 
  • Athletic Department Golf Tournament Set For June 5
    April 25, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark-The University of the Ozarks athletic department will hold its second annual four-man scramble golf fundraising tournament Monday, June 5 at the Nutters Chapel Golf Course in Conway.
  • Cagle's Clutch Hit Pushes Across Game-Winning Run On Senior Day
    April 22, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Bryce Cagle’s double in the bottom of the 11th inning pushed across the game-winning run to cap a wild 13-12 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor on Senior Day. Brooks Boshers hustled out an infield grounder to lead off the bottom of the 11th and ignite the Eagles’ bench and large contingent of fans. A sacrifice bunt from Ethan Cash advanced Boshers to second base. Cagle then sent a shot to left field in which the left fielder dove and came up short on the ball allowing Boshers to score the game-winner. After a scoreless tenth, the Crusaders opened the eleventh with back-to-back singles and then bunted both over into scoring position. Freshman relief pitcher Isaiah Lemke recorded a huge strikeout to keep the runners at second and third. With two outs, Lemke calmly forced an easy groundout to end the threat. The Crusaders scored four runs in the second inning and one run in the third to hold a 5-0 lead. The Eagles responded in the third with two runs making it 5-2. The Crusaders got both runs back in the fourth with a two-run homer and then some more to bring the lead back to 8-2. In the fifth, the Eagles exploded for eight runs on eight hits. The Eagles recorded back-to-back singles and then loaded the bases with a walk. Jackson Baker delivered an infield single to score one and Dru Didway followed with an RBI single. With two outs, Boshers ripped a single to the right side to score another run. Cash then slugged a bases clearing double to tie the game 8-8. Cagle cranked out a two-run homer to put the Eagles ahead 10-8. But the Crusaders answered with two runs to even the score in the top of the sixth. In the seventh with runners at first and third, Cole Clark laced a double to left field to score one and the Eagles led 11-10. The back-and-forth game continued in the eighth as the Crusaders tied the game with a run. Baker led off the bottom of the eighth with a triple to right field. Taber Childs followed with an RBI single to make it 12-11. The Crusaders wouldn’t go away and led off the ninth with a double. After pushing that runner over to third base, the Crusaders tied the game with a single. In the bottom of the ninth, the Eagles got a runner on board, but couldn’t knock him in. Cagle also homered and finished with three RBI and three hits. Lemke received the win tossing the final three and one-third innings. He struck out four and did not issue a walk. The Eagles six seniors – Rennie Arjona, Brooks Boshers, Dru Didway, Kagen Kennedy, Dylan McDonald and Josh Ropple – were honored prior to the game as part of a Senior Day Celebration Ceremony. 
  • Eagles Pound Out 21 Hits In Game Two Win
    April 21, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Mary Hardin-Baylor had a four-run fifth inning and then held off the Eagles late to pick up a 7-6 win in game one Friday. Mary Hardin-Baylor opened the game with three runs in the first, but the Eagles hit back-to-back home runs to bring the score to 3-2. Jackson Baker and Dru Didway homered for the Eagles. In the second, Nicholas Bennett doubled and Kagen Kennedy ripped a single to score Bennett from second base. In the third, Didway did more damage with an RBI double to give the Eagles a 4-3 lead. Ethan Cash had an RBI ground out in the inning and the Eagles ended three complete innings with a 5-3 advantage. The Crusaders came back and scored four runs in the top of the fifth to gain a 7-5 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Isaac Price had a single down the left field line. Jackson Baker hit a high fly ball to left center that landed just out of the reach of the left fielder for another base runner. Didway followed with slicing single to left field to score one and bring the deficit to 7-6. Cash drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. But the Crusaders got a strikeout to end the game. The Eagles outhit the Crusaders 12-7, but committed four errors. Baker went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate. Didway had three RBI.
  • Hendrix Baseball Rallies Past Eagles
    April 18, 2023
    Conway, Ark.-Hendrix College won its fourth game of the season against the Eagles with a two-run ninth inning for a 11-10 win Tuesday night. Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Eagles led 10-9 only to have Hendrix rally for the win. Hendrix recorded a single followed by a double to tie the game. A sacrifice bunt advanced a runner to third base and the Warriors would then score the game-winning run on a wild pitch. The Eagles had plenty of offense in the game recording 15 hits. In the third, Jackson Baker drove in a run with a double. Trailing 4-2, the Eagles mounted a rally in the sixth scoring four runs. Ethan Cash doubled in a run, Kagen Kennedy singled in a run and Cole Clark doubled in two runs to push the Eagles to a 6-4 lead. The Warriors quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning with four runs. The Eagles generated a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth. Clark’s RBI single in the ninth gave the Eagles a 10-9 lead.  
  • Eagles Secure Game Three Win Against Howard Payne
    April 15, 2023
    Brownwood, Texas-The Eagles salvaged the series against Howard Payne University with a come-from-behind 11-7 game three win on Saturday. The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the second on an Ethan Cash RBI single and a Brice Cagle sacrifice fly. But Howard Payne took the lead back in the fourth with four runs. The Eagles responded in the next inning with two runs, but still trailed 5-4. Isaac Price had a sacrifice fly and Jackson Baker had an RBI single in the fifth. The Eagles took command of the game with a four-run seventh. Cash capped the frame with a two-run single. The Eagles had another productive inning in the top of the ninth scoring three runs. Highlighting the inning was a two-run single by Cagle. Isaac Pelts received the win as the starter and went six innings. Isaiah Lemke notched the save in relief by tossing the final three innings. Cagle went 3-for-3 with three RBI at the plate. Dru Didway also had a three-hit game. Cash drove in three runs.
  • Eagles Suffer Double-Header Setback Against Howard Payne
    April 14, 2023
    Brownwood, Texas-Howard Payne University opened the weekend series with ten runs in the first inning and the Eagles never recovered as the Yellow Jackets took a 20-6 game one win. Cole Clark and Dru Didway had RBI in the second inning and Juan Munoz had an RBI in the third to total four runs, but the Yellow Jackets plated seven runs in the bottom of the third to put the game away. Brice Cagle and Clark would later have RBI in the fifth inning. Howard Payne recorded 19 hits and the Eagles committed six errors. Clark and Munoz finished 3-for-4 at the plate. 
  • Warriors Overcome Deficit, Score Five Runs In The Ninth For Win
    April 11, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles let a 9-5 lead slip away in the ninth inning as Hendrix College pulled out a 10-9 win Tuesday afternoon. After the Eagles scored three runs on a bases clearing double from Taber Childs, the Eagles headed into the ninth to secure the game. However, Hendrix battled to load the bases with one out. From there, the Warriors were hit by a pitch and then flew out. With two outs, the Warriors didn’t give up as they drew another bases loaded walk to bring the score to 9-7. The Warriors delivered a bases clearing double of their own to move ahead. The Eagles built a 4-1 lead after two innings of play. In the sixth, Jackson Baker hit a two-run homer. The Eagles outhit the Warriors 15-8. Dru Didway, Brooks Boshers and Childs each went 3-for-5.
  • Cagle Pushes Across Game-Winning Run
    April 07, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Brice Cagle knocked in the game-winning run with a ninth inning sacrifice fly to push the Eagles to a 8-7 victory over Concordia University Texas in game three. Ethan Cash ripped a two-strike single to the outfield to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Dru Didway hit one down the right field line to put runners at the corners. Taber Childs pushed across the game-tying run with a sacrifice fly. With one out, Brooks Boshers had a clutch double to put two runners in scoring position. Miguel Fernandez was intentionally walked to load the bases. That brought to the plate Cagle, who sent a shot to centerfield for the game-winning sacrifice fly. Isaac Pelts worked a complete game for the Eagles as he threw 124 pitches. The right-hander got stronger as the game went on allowing only one hit in the final three innings. The Eagles took advantage of a rare error and scored three runs in the first frame. With two outs, Didway lofted a ball to centerfield, but it was dropped to allow Jackson Baker to score from second. Childs then promptly hit a two-run homer. But Concordia had back-to-back doubles to score twice and pull within 3-2. In the bottom half of the third, Boshers singled in Didway from second. Concordia ripped a two-run double to even the score 4-4 in the fourth. A two-out RBI single gave Concordia a 5-4 lead. The Eagles responded in the bottom half of the inning with two straight hits. Baker then had a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, but the Tornados got a lineout and a pop out to end the threat. The Eagles again came back and scored one run with an RBI double from Cagle to tie the game 5-5 after five innings. The back-and-forth game continued the next inning as Concordia took a 7-5 advantage. Pelts retired the side in the top of the seventh. Didway was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Childs then drew a walk. Boshers was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fernandez then grounded out to score one and made it 7-6. Pelts worked his way out of a jam in the top of the eighth with a double play ball. Concordia got three straight outs in the bottom of the eighth. Pelts got two quick outs in the ninth and then hit a batter and followed with a walk. Pelts worked a fly out to end the threat. Pelts received his second win of the season after fanning four in nine innings. Boshers had a three-hit game to lead the Eagles, while Childs drove in three runs.
  • Concordia Baseball Takes Two On Thursday
    April 06, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles made a rally late in the game, but came up short 11-8 against Concordia University Texas in game one Thursday. Concordia plated two runs in the first inning to take an early lead. In the third, the Eagles loaded the bases with one out, and Dru Didway had a sacrifice fly to score one. With two outs, the Tornados were able to catch the runner at third attempting to steal home. The Tornados would then load the bases with two outs in the fourth and produced a bases clearing double to moved ahead 9-1. Trailing 10-1 in the fifth, the Eagles had back-to-back singles and Isaac Price loaded the bases with a walk. A wild pitch and an error allowed two runs to score, making it 10-3. Childs later followed with a walk. The Eagles scored again on a wild pitch for the fourth run. Miguel Fernandez ripped a RBI double in the sixth. Jackson Baker, with two runners in scoring position, drew a walk to load the bases. The Eagles scored on a passed ball to make it 10-6. With one out, Didway followed with an RBI single in the same inning. The Tornados halted the rally with a double play ball.  In the ninth, Lane Carosh cranked out a solo home run to bring the Eagles within 11-8. But that would be all for the Eagles. Price and Boshers each had two hits. Didway drove in two runs.
  • Lobos Rally In Bottom Of The Ninth
    April 01, 2023
    Alpine, Texas-Sul Ross State University stormed back in the bottom of the ninth to win 9-8 in game three of the series against the Eagles Saturday. Trailing 7-4 heading into the ninth, the Eagles rallied for four runs to tie the contest. In the ninth, Josh Ropple hit a three-run homer to ignite the Eagles. Taber Childers later scored the go-ahead run on Brice Cagle’s fielder’s choice. But in the bottom half of the frame, Sul Ross recorded three straight hits – a double, triple and single – to generate the game-tying and game-winning runs. Isaac Price hit a two-run homer in the third to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. Ethan Cash had a sacrifice RBI in the fifth and Dru Didway had an RBI double in the seventh to push the Eagles in front 4-2. Price led the Eagles with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate. He also drove in three runs and scored three runs. Didway and Cash each had two hits.
  • Ropple Tosses Another Complete Game
    March 31, 2023
    Alpine, Texas.-Josh Ropple threw his second consecutive complete game to lead the Eagles to a 2-1 win over Sul Ross State in game one Friday. Ropple was again brilliant on the mound tossing seven innings and striking out five while walking only one. The Eagles gave Ropple an early run to work with as Ethan Cash singled in Jackson Baker in the first frame. Sul Ross answered in the second with a run to even the contest, 1-1.  But the Lobos were unable to score again against Ropple. Ropple retired the side in the fifth and sixth innings, while allowing only one runner in the seventh. He ended the game on a strikeout. Isaac Price provided an insurance run in the fifth inning on a solo home run. Ropple was charged with one earned run to receive his third win of the season.
  • Hendrix College Takes Win On Tuesday
    March 28, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-Hendrix College used a nine-run fourth inning to post a 17-5 win over the Eagles Tuesday afternoon. Hendrix scored twice in the first and third innings and then put the game out of reach in the fourth with nine runs on eight hits. Dru Didway and Kagen Kennedy each homered for the Eagles, but it was too late. The Eagles scored four in the fifth inning to make it 16-5. The Eagles collected ten hits, with Didway, Kennedy and Isaac Price each recording two hits apiece. 
  • McMurry Wins Series With 9-7 Win
    March 27, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-McMurry University won game three 9-7 to win the series againist the Eagles. Trailing 5-0, the Eagles rallied in the third with back-to-back RBI doubles from Isaac Price and Jackson Baker. Dru Didway then received an RBI on a grounder to third base to trim the deficit to 5-3. The Eagles loaded the bases in the fourth with one out and scratched across one run to move within 5-4. In the fifth, McMurry loaded the bases with two outs, but Jake Estrada got the third out with an infield pop out. In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles loaded the bases with two outs, but came up empty. In the sixth, the War Hawks added two runs to make it 7-4. In the sixth, Didway drove in Baker for the Eagles fifth run. McMurry then got back-to-back outstanding defensive plays - a diving catch by the right fielder and a diving stop from the second baseman - to keep the Eagles from scoring any more runs. After McMurry scored twice in the seventh, the Eagles got base runners again only to strand both. The Eagles once again got runners this time in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded with one out, Taber Childs drew a walk to make it 9-6. Josh Ropple recorded a sacrifice fly to score one. But that would be it for the Eagles. Baker, Didway, Munoz and Cagle had two hits apiece. Didway drove in two runs.
  • Josh Ropple Tosses Complete Game In Eagles Win
    March 26, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-McMurry University fought off a strong pitching performance from Isaac Pelts to top the Eagles 5-3 in game one. In the first, Cole Clark was hit by a pitch and then Isaac Price bunted him over to second. Jackson Baker followed with a single through the right side. With Clark at third, Dru Didway grounded a ball to the middle infield to push across a run. In the second, Pelts got a double play ball for two quick outs. McMurry would load the bases, but Pelts got out of the jam with a strikeout. In the third, Pelts retired the side with three strikeouts. In the fourth, McMurry took the lead, 3-2, on a homer. Juan Munoz matched the War Hawks with a solo home run to even the score 3-3 in the fourth. McMurry took the lead back in the top of the fifth, 4-3, and then added a solo home run in the seventh to make it 5-3. Munoz singled up the middle to begin the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Brice Cagle drew a walk and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. McMurry inserted a new pitcher to face Taber Childs and he immediately got a pop out. McMurry then forced a groundout to end the game. Munoz went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Eagles.  
  • Comets Win Series With High-Scoring Game Three
    March 19, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.-The UT Dallas Comets exploded for 23 runs in game three to win the series against the Eagles. The Comets won Sunday’s rubber match 23-4. The Comets opened game three with a statement, scoring eight runs off four hits, two of which were home runs. The Eagles plated a run in the first, second, third and fourth inning, but it wouldn’t nearly be enough as the Comets added 11 runs in the top of the fifth to put the game out of reach. The Comets outhit the Eagles 18-5. Kagen Kennedy went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Eagles. 
  • Cash's Dramatic Grand Slam Lifts Eagles In Game One
    March 18, 2023
    Clarksville, Ark.- Ethan Cash blasted a dramatic grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete a 8-6 come-from-behind win against UT Dallas in game one Saturday. Isaac Price, Jackson Baker and Dru Didway had back-to-back-to-back singles setting the stage for Cash’s clutch hit. Cash delivered a shot with a full count over the right field fence to send the Eagles into a March Madness type frenzy. The Comets led 4-0 after the three innings, but Dru Didway singled in a run in the fourth to make it 4-1. In the fifth, Price and Baker had RBI singles to make it 4-3. The next inning, Kagen Kennedy had a sacrifice fly to bring the Eagles within 6-4. A combined three home runs were hit in the game as windy conditions aided the long balls. Price went 3-for-4 while Cash had a team-best four RBI. Starting pitcher Isaac Pelts threw a complete game to receive the win. He struck out seven and did not issue a walk.
  • Eagles Drop Two In Millington
    March 12, 2023
    Millington, Tenn.- The Eagles opened their double-header in Millington, Tennessee, with a 9-1 loss against NCAA III Alfred State University. Alfred State scored the game’s first run to lead 1-0 in the first inning. Alfred State then added two runs in the second to grab a 3-0 advantage. Taber Childs hit a solo home run in the fifth to make it 3-1. Alfred State responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning and then plated four runs in the seventh to take control of the game. The Eagles generated five hits in the game.
  • Ropple Throws Complete Game In 10-4 Win
    March 05, 2023
    Abilene, Texas- Josh Ropple threw a complete game to help the Eagles earn a 10-4 win and salvage its series against Hardin-Simmons University on Sunday. Ropple shut out the Cowboys for 5.1 innings before allowing a run. He allowed only two hits through five complete innings. The Eagles’ offense provided Ropple plenty to work with as eight position players in the lineup recorded a hit. Leading 1-0, the Eagles scored twice in the fourth on Taber Childs and Juan Munoz RBI singles. Jackson Baker added to the lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Brooks Boshers ripped a single to center field to push across two more runs. Hardin-Simmons eventually scored in the sixth inning, but still trailed 6-2. In the ninth, Cole Clark blasted a lead off home run and Dru Didway cranked out a three-run homer to cushion the lead. Ropple then made quick work of the Cowboys in the bottom of the ninth forcing a foul out, strikeout and an infield pop out. Ropple struck out four in his outing. Juan Munoz went 4-for-5 with two RBI. Clark went 3-for-4 and Baker, Ethan Cash and Childs each had two hits.
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