Baseball Game Preview: Helias Crusaders vs. Ozark Tigers

The Helias Crusaders will take on the Ozark Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Helias barely beat Rolla the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Helias put the hurt on Rolla with a sharp 12-2 victory on Wednesday. The Crusaders haven't had any issues with the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.

Meanwhile, Ozark sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 victory over Springdale on Thursday.

Ozark got a great performance from Cooper Pumphrey as he struck out nine batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits.

On the hitting side, Hudson Roberts was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBI, and one double. Those RBI were his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Peyton Bullinger, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.

Ozark lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.

The win got Ozark back to even at 2-2. As for Helias, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.

Helias couldn't quite get it done against Ozark in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 as they fell 11-6. Will Helias have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.