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Ozark got off to a great start in 2008, shutting out Parkway South High School 6-0 in the season opening baseball game at home Monday night.

Ethan Mather was the winning pitcher, working 5 innings with 7 strike outs, walking 1 and scattering 3 hits.

Brett Kesterson earned the save with 2 innings of shut out work, striking out 3 and allowing 1 hit and 1 walk.

Ozark lead off hitter Brett Neill, a left handed hitter, drilled a home run in the last of the first, smashing the line drive round-tripper over the right field fence to give Ozark the only run it would need.

But the Tigers would bat around in the first inning, scoring 4 more runs. After Brett Neill’s home run, Chris Loveday, Levi Presley and Derek Harwell each drew a walk, forcing the Patriots to change pitchers.

With one out, Ozark catcher John Neill smacked a 2 run single to the opposite field, a drive to right which scored Chris Loveday and Levi Presley.

Matt Jackson, the Ozark left fielder, followed with another single to the opposite field, and his hit to right scored Harwell, putting the Tigers up 4-0.

Ryne Armstrong capped off the rally with a grounder to the right side which scored courtesy runner Justin Johnson, giving Ozark a 5-0 lead.

Mather gave up an unusual bunt single (which went over the third baseman’s head) in the first, a walk and a single in the third and a single in the fourth. Parkway South’s Ryan Shildroth reached safely on an error in the fifth, stole second, and advanced to third on an error, giving the Patriot’s a good scoring opportunity with 2 outs. But Mather reached back to strike out the next batter, preserving the shut out.

Parkway South could not get John Neill out, as the Ozark catcher finished with 2 singles and a walk in the game.

Levi Presely walked in the fifth for Ozark, moving to second on an errant pick off throw. Derek Harwell followed with a line drive to left center field, recording an RBI as Presley scored. Ethan Mather walked and John Neill singled in the inning, but Matt Weiss was able to limit the damage to just 1 run.

Weiss worked 5 innings for the Patriots with a strike out, allowing just 1 run after the disastrous first inning.

Corey Wiley tripled for Ozark in the sixth, but was left stranded.

Ozark will be back in action Wednesday afternoon against visiting Claremore, Ok.

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