SHAWNEE, Okla. – The East Central University baseball team opened their GAC series against Oklahoma Baptist University under the lights on Friday but suffered a tough 10-1 loss at Bobby Cox Field.
 
The Tigers and Bison will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 9, starting at 1 p.m.
 
OBU out-hit ECU 10-5, with the Tigers only managing to score one run while stranding ten base runners. Meanwhile, OBU capitalized with 10 runs, controlling the game from start to finish.
 
The Bison jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead, scoring three runs in both the first and second innings and adding another in the third.
 
ECU's lone run came in the fourth inning. Trace Necessary singled to left-center, and after Ethan Rone and Mason Shimkus walked to load the bases, Tyler Akers drew a walk to bring Necessary home.
 
However, that would be all the Tigers could muster. ECU managed just one more hit over the remaining five innings as OBU added two runs in the fourth and one in the seventh to seal the victory.
 
Joel Hogan started on the mound, going 1.1 innings, allowing six runs on four hits. Cameron Ebert relieved him for 2.0 innings, giving up three runs on five hits, while Justin Smith finished the game with an impressive 4.2 innings of work. Smith allowed just one run on one hit and struck out a season-high eight batters.
 
Zac Carroll led the Tigers offensively with two hits, while Tyler Akers, Trace Necessary, and Mason Shimkus each had one hit.