Ozark took advantage of two Republic errors to score six unearned runs in the first three innings, then held on for a 12-8 win at Republic Tuesday.
In the second inning, Rhett Hayward reached base on an error to lead off against Republic pitcher Gavyn Beckner, and Brock Sundlie doubled. Beckner retired the next two hitters and should have been out of the inning, but Ozark’s next four batters reached base, and Ozark took a 4-0 lead.
Ozark scored two more unearned runs in the third inning to lead 6-0 before Republic finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Connor Sandridge singled and scored on another hit by Beckner to make the score 6-1.
In the fourth, Republic scored four more to get back into the game. Devon Hughes and Gunner Ellison each drove in a run, and Beckner drove in two more to help Republic pull within a run, 6-5.
Republic put the tying run in scoring position in the fifth inning but failed to score, and in the top of the sixth, Ozark finally got to relief pitcher Landon Carter. Carter had held Ozark scoreless since entering the game in the fourth inning, but Ozark scored two runs off Carter in the sixth, then added four more in the top of the seventh, taking a 12-5 lead.
Republic mounted one last rally in the bottom of the seventh, pushing three runs across to make the score 12-8. But with the bases loaded, Gunner Ellison – who had two hits and an RBI in the game already – grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Sandridge was 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a run batted in. Ellison, Beckner, and Ace McWatters collected two hits apiece for Republic.
Ozark out-hit Republic 15-12. Each team committed two errors, but Republic’s were more costly on the scoreboard, leading to six unearned runs.
The winning pitcher for Ozark was Greydon Miller. The losing pitcher was Gavyn Beckner, despite the fact that he did not give up an earned run.
The win improves Ozark’s record to 7-3. They’re 1-0 in the COC. Republic is 6-7 (0-1).
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