Celt Baseball opened up the season on the road against Ozarks this Friday afternoon. After two games, the Celts split the day winning the first game, and losing the second.

Game 1: UST 4 OZA: 3

St. Thomas wasted no time making an impact, exploding for four runs in the first inning. Dillon McKee delivered a powerful home run to left field, driving in Kyle Bearden, Jarod Smith, and Mason Seay, giving St. Thomas an early 4-0 lead.

The game then turned into a pitching duel, with both teams' pitchers settling in and keeping the scoreline unchanged until the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ozarks managed to get on the scoreboard with a run, but St. Thomas' pitching staff held firm to secure the win.

St. Thomas' Landon Murray got the start on the mound and delivered a strong performance, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing no runs on two hits while striking out four batters. Blake Michalsky and Kameron Craig provided solid relief pitching to maintain St. Thomas' lead.

On the offensive side, Dillon McKee's first-inning blast proved to be the decisive moment, providing the bulk of St. Thomas' scoring.

Despite a late rally attempt by Ozarks, St. Thomas' pitching and early offensive outburst proved to be too much to overcome, securing them a well-deserved victory on the road.

Game 2 UST 4 OZA 5

In a closely contested baseball matchup on February 9, 2024, St. Thomas (Tex.) clashed with Ozarks (Ark.) in a game that went down to the wire, with Ozarks ultimately emerging victorious by a narrow margin of 5-4.

Ozarks took an early lead with a run in the second inning, but St. Thomas quickly responded in the third inning, scoring two runs courtesy of Kyle Bearden's sacrifice fly and Timothy Mansell's RBI single, taking a 2-1 lead.

The back-and-forth battle continued as Ozarks tied the game in the bottom of the third inning, but St. Thomas regained the lead in the fifth inning with another run.

In the sixth inning, Ozarks managed to equalize once again, setting the stage for a tense final few innings.

The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the ninth inning when Ozarks capitalized on a scoring opportunity, plating two runs to secure the dramatic come-from-behind victory.

Despite a valiant effort from St. Thomas, Ozarks' resilient performance, coupled with timely hitting and solid pitching, proved to be the difference-maker in this tightly contested matchup.

St. Thomas' pitching staff put up a strong effort, with Kadin Munson, Kaden Bertrand, Austin Ryan, and Luke Johnson combining for solid innings on the mound. However, it was Ozarks' trio of pitchers—W. Utchman, Isaiah Lemke, and Cason Brigham—who ultimately sealed the win for their team.

Both teams showcased their competitive spirit and determination throughout the game, but in the end, it was Ozarks who emerged victorious, clinching the hard-fought win in front of their home crowd.