Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 Fort Smith, Ark.—OPSU Baseball opened Heartland Conference play on the road this weekend, playing three games against the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Saturday and Sunday.

The Aggie men also faced a one-day weather delay playing Friday's doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. UAFS took all three games to remain undefeated on their home field for the season. The Lions opened with a shutout victory (9-0) in game one and pulled out a 6-3 save in game two on Saturday. The series finale on Sunday ended early as the Lions took a ten-run win (11-1) over the Aggies in seven innings.

Samuel Beattie started on the mound for OPSU in game one and took his second loss of the season after being taken for nine hits and eight runs (six earned) in 3.2 innings of work. Senior Logan Litton relieved Beattie in the fourth and went 2.1 innings with three hits and one earned run. The Aggies totaled three singles in the game; two from Dehryen Noriega and one from Quinn O'Neill. UAFS had four doubles and a three-run homer in 12 hits.

Game two saw a much closer matchup as OPSU matched the Lions 3-3 in the third inning. UAFS took in two runs in the first and the Aggies answered by scoring two in the second as senior Jacob Milburn drove a double for two RBI with two outs. UAFS then hit a double good for one run in the bottom of the inning to pull ahead 3-2. With one out in the top of the third Joseph Cerda and Noriega were both walked and Cerda scored from second on and RBI single from Cody Dion.

Tied at 3-3 going into the bottom-half of the inning, the Lions edged ahead once more after hitting two doubles in a row. The Aggie outfield held UAFS to just one run off the two big hits giving the Lions a one-run lead (4-3). Aggie batters were allowed only four hits through the remaining six innings, with zero runs coming through. The Lions scored their final two runs in the bottom of the fifth hitting a triple, a double and two singles that inning. Adrian Lopez was given the loss for OPSU, pitching six innings and giving up nine hits five earned runs; Joel Perez finished out on the mound and allowed zero hits in two innings.

Leftie Tristan Hubler got the start for the Aggies in game three on Sunday and was put to the test by the Lions. UAFS batters took Hubler for ten hits and nine runs (five earned) over his six innings on the mound. The Aggies were down by six runs as they entered the top of the fourth inning (0-6). Milburn hit an RBI single to put the first run on the board for OPSU (1-6). The Lions added one run in the fifth and two in the sixth to take a 9-1 lead. Sophomore Dallas Guerrero entered for Hubler in the seventh and opened with a strikeout (swinging). Guerrero's time was cut short as two runs scored for UAFS brought the run-rule in effect and ended the game with one out in the seventh inning.

The Aggies totaled 16 hits in the series and allowed a total of 33 hits to their opponents. UAFS averaged .347 in hitting and totaled ten doubles, one triple and three homers on the weekend. Jacob Milburn led the Aggie batters with three RBI and had the only double for OPSU. The Lions went four of five in stolen base attempts, while the Aggies got away with one steal on two attempts. OPSU pitchers combined for twelve strikeouts in the series, led by Beattie with four and Hubler with three.

OPSU Baseball now holds a season record of 4-14 and will look for their first conference win this weekend as they take on Newman University at home March 18-19. The three-game series begins on Friday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. followed by game three at Noon on Saturday.