OZARK, Mo.- After falling 13-5 in game one, Drury battled back to win in extra innings, 4-3, in game two to earn a split in a Sunday doubleheader against Rockhurst at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.
 
The Panthers ended the day with a 25-14 record and an 11-7 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Rockhurst moved their record to 19-20 and 7-11 in the league.
 
In game one, Rockhurst came alive in the sixth and seventh inning as they surged past Drury for a 12-5 win. The Panthers took a 5-2 lead in the fifth on a three-run home run by Nic Perkins but the Hawks responded in their next trip to the plate. Rockhurst scored four runs in the sixth highlighted by a three-RBI triple by Michael Ruffolo. The Hawks tacked on five more runs in the seventh capped by a three-run, inside the park home run by David Stober.
 
Clayton Engel went 3 for 5 with two runs scored, a triple and a RBI to lead Drury in game one.
 
The Panthers bounced back to win game two 4-3 in eight innings. Drury had a 2-1 going into the seventh inning only to see Rockhurst grab the lead and move three outs away from a doubleheader sweep. The Hawks tied the game 2-2 when Dylan Brauner blasted a solo home run to right field. Rockhurst moved in front moments later when Nic Mertes doubled to drive in Seth Soto.
 
Drury stayed alive scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh. Ethan Owens singled and later scored on Justin Abernathy's double. Panthers starter Garrett Woods struck out the side in the top of the eighth and Drury won the game in the bottom half of the inning when Ryan Colombo tripled and was driven home on Ryan Kayhill's sacrifice fly.
 
"One of the things we talk about is answering back if we give up runs or shutting them down when we score," said Drury head coach Scott Nasby. "We did a fairly good job of that in the second game but not nearly good enough in game one.
 
"(Woods) probably had his best inning in the eighth. It's awesome to have veterans like him and Colombo that want the ball in big spots. He pitched great today."
 
Woods (6-2) got the complete game win going eight innings allowing six hits, three runs and one earned run with two walks and eight strikeouts.
 
The two teams continue their series with a doubleheader on Monday. Game one begins at 1 p.m. at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.
 

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