Little Rock, Ark. – The nationally ranked Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball team outhit its adversary on Tuesday but could not push across the runs when it needed them the most.
Arkansas Baptist College swept the No. 19 Tigers by scores of 5-4 and 3-2 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's Gary Hogan Field in one of the final non-division doubleheaders of the 2014 season for Northeast.
The Tigers took an early 2-0 lead after their first at bat in the opener on RBI singles by Cody Bo Dillard and Ben Foster.
However, Jace Powers settled down and did not allow another run in his five innings of work. Derek Wooten tossed the final two frames and nearly gave up a Northeast comeback.
Trent Turner got the Tigers within one score of the lead on a two-run home run. It was the second long ball of the season for the freshman from Brandon.
But Wooten got the final remaining outs in the seventh to secure the win for the Buffaloes (15-8).
Dontrell Brown hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first while Jordan Taylor and Chase Sealy had doubles to put Arkansas Baptist ahead 5-1 after four innings.
Hunt Halford (0-1) garnered the start and took the loss with two earned runs allowed in 2.1 innings. He struck out one and walked two.
Relievers Caleb Goff and Tanner Whitaker did not give up an earned run in 3.2 frames out of the bullpen.
In the nightcap, Drew Wray gave the Tigers (10-10) a 1-0 advantage in the second after taking home on a double steal with Scott Pala.
Josh Peterson connected on a sacrifice fly one frame later that brought Heath Wood in to make it 2-0 in favor of Northeast.
Corky Welch evened the score in the latter half of the third on a RBI single that plated Brown. Sealy scored earlier in the inning on a wild pitch.
Connor Anderson accounted for what turned into the winning run when he touched the plate on Brown's sacrifice fly in the fifth.
David Gibson started and went four innings for the Tigers. He struck our four and walked three while giving up two hits and only one earned run.
Mason Maxey (0-1) did not concede a hit, but took the loss on the hill for Northeast after walking two batters.
The Tigers had 13 base knocks in the doubleheader while the Buffaloes had just 10. Northeast left 11 runners stranded on base throughout the day.