After a disappointing weekend series with the College of the Ozarks Bobcats, the Tiigers took a day off to regroup and then played a double header with Ozark Christian in Joplin, Mo on Monday. 

In game one, Tigers took a 8 to 5 lead into the bottom of the 6th inning against a good hitting Ozark Christian College team, and starter Ryan Kibler found himself in big trouble fast! "We are still learning how to pitch with a lead as a staff!" exclaimed head coach Bob Marsh. Kibler, who stood to be the pitcher of record at the time, hit the 1st two batters in the inning to set the table for a 3 run rally that tied the game. Central's Kyle Richter, who missed 6 weeks after hand surgery in January, came on to retire the final out with the go ahead run at 3B. David Cummings pitched a scoreless 7th inning and Chris Wood came on with two outs and a runner on 1st to get the last out of the 8th inning. Junior captain Sam Carr led off the top of the 9th inning with a drive over the boards in left center field to give the Tigers a 9-8 lead and Wade Wedow later doubled and scored on Micah Womack's sacrifice fly to give the Tigers a 10-8 lead. Wood pitched a flawless 9th inning to gain the win, his 1st from the bullpen.  Carr was 4-5, and his home run was his 5th HR in the last 7 days.  "I was proud of Kibler's effort, he just needs to challenge more people when he's ahead. Cummings & Wood were both pitching on a days rest and both volunteered to pitch today." said head coach Bob Marsh  


In game two, Central's Micah Womacks and OCC's Daniel Rankin locked up in a great pitcher's dual. With one out in the 3rd, the Tigers Chris Wood lined a double to left and scored the games first run on a straight steal of home! Wood actually scored standing up, easily beating the pitch of Rankin to the plate. "Man did he get a jump!," said Marsh. It kinda broke their pitcher's concentration and the Tigers went onto score 3 more times in the 3rd on 3 walks, a single, and infield error. The Tigers added another run in the 4th inning on Damon Smith's two out hit back up the middle. Leading 5-0 in the bottom of the 4th inning, the Ambassadors rallied for 3 runs on 4 hits and an error to make it a 5-3 game. The Tigers tacked on an insurance run in the top of the 7th inning when Troy Richter doubled, stole 3rd base, and scored on a beautifully executed squeeze play by Wade Wedow. Womacks, who struck out 12 OCC batters and allowed only 1 walk pitched a perfect 7th inning to close out his complete game victory 6-3. 

The Tigers are now 10-18 and are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Ecclesia College in Springdale, Arkansas on Wednesday, and will close out the spring break trip at Crowley Ridge College on Friday & Saturday!