The Southwestern Christian University baseball team hit the road to Point Lookout, Missouri for a weekend series against the College of the Ozarks, facing a challenging three-game stretch at Bob Smith Field.
Game 1: SCU Falls Late, 5-2
SCU opened the series in a tightly contested matchup before falling 5-2. The Eagles kept things scoreless early, but College of the Ozarks broke through in the third inning and added a decisive three-run fourth inning to take control.
Offensively, SCU was led by Royce Florenzano, who went 2-for-3 with a double, while Dominic Ornelas added two hits and an RBI. The Eagles managed to push across two runs in the sixth inning, but couldn't complete the comeback.
On the mound, Anderson Paredes took the loss after allowing four runs over four innings. SCU's bullpen limited further damage, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Game 2: Early Lead Slips Away in 6-2 Loss
SCU struck first in Game 2, plating two runs in the opening inning thanks to aggressive baserunning and capitalizing on a defensive error. However, the momentum quickly shifted in the third inning.
College of the Ozarks responded with a four-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run home run that flipped the game. They later added two more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-2.
Elvis Rojas recorded a hit and scored, while Dario Paredes also contributed at the plate. Despite drawing walks and creating opportunities early, SCU was limited to just two hits the rest of the way.
Frangely Morel was tagged with the loss after giving up six runs over five innings.
Game 3: Eagles Shut Out in Run-Rule Finale, 12-0
The series finale proved to be the toughest outing for SCU, as the Eagles were shut out 12-0 in a run-rule shortened game.
College of the Ozarks exploded offensively, scoring four runs in the second inning and five more in the third to quickly build an insurmountable lead. Capitalizing on walks and defensive miscues, they never allowed SCU to settle into the game.
SCU managed five hits in the contest, with Royce Florenzano collecting two and Nate Anderson adding a double. However, the Eagles were unable to string together scoring opportunities.
Multiple pitchers saw action for SCU, but the early surge by Ozarks put the game out of reach.
Series Summary
SCU dropped all three games in the series, falling to 18-21 on the season. Across the weekend, the Eagles showed flashes offensively but struggled to sustain momentum against consistent pitching and timely hitting from College of the Ozarks.
