OZARK, Mo.— The Drury Panthers opened the 2020 season with a split of a doubleheader against East Central on Saturday at US Baseball Park in Ozark. Drury won the first game 3-1, then fell in game two 2-1.
Panthers starter
Tom Tewes set a team record with 13 strikeouts in game one. The junior from Lincoln, Nebraska, went 6.2 innings allowing just two hits and one unearned run with two walks while fanning 13 but did not factor in the decision. Tewes broke the previous record of 11 strikeouts in a game and the mark was held by five different pitchers and accomplished seven different times.
Drury got on the board in the top of fifth on an RBI-single by
Jackson Dierenfeldt that scored
Brant Schaffitzel. After the Tigers tied the game in the seventh,
Aaron Mann belted a triple in the eighth to give Drury back the lead, and the Panthers added another run in the ninth on
Ethan Owens single.
Colby Childs (1-0) got the win for Drury in relief while
Bayler Hinz pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth for the save.
The Panthers were edged 2-1 in the second game as East Central scored both of their runs in the sixth inning.
Drury took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the frame as
Jacob Mitchell drove in a run with a base hit.
An error in right field to start the bottom of the sixth opened the door for the Tigers comeback. East Central would drive in a runner from third on a single, then took the lead on a ground ball as the Tigers scored two runs on one hit, an error, and a walk in the inning.
Mitchell finished the game going 2 for 3 at the plate. Drury starter
Hunter Becker got a no-decision going 4.2 innings, giving up just one hit, no runs, and one walk with five strikeouts.
The games were originally scheduled to be played at East Central but moved to Ozark, Missouri, due to inclement weather. The Panthers batted first as the visiting team in both games on Saturday.
The two teams conclude the three-game series on Sunday with a 10 am game at US Baseball Park.
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