Ozbolt returns to Texas

Cody Ozbolt is glad to be home.

The Iola High School graduate has transferred from Southwestern Christian University (Okla.) to Southwestern University, where he will continue his baseball career.

“I decided to transfer to be a little closer to home,” the 6-foot-2 right-handed pitcher said. “I miss Texas too much.”

Though his relatives did travel to visit him in Oklahoma, the junior said he and his family are “real excited to have me back home.”

He chose Southwestern after visiting the campus. “It felt like home,” he said. “It’s a beautiful campus. The coaching staff was great.”

Ozbolt pitched 12 1/3 innings of relief during the spring, when he recorded one save for Southwestern Christian. Among 14 pitchers on the team, he threw t h e fourth fewest innings. “I was an under-classman,” he said. “I want to play more. I wanted to go somewhere where I could play.”

After having a 2.84 earned run average in six and one-third innings of his freshman season, he finished with a 9.49 ERA during the spring. He said opponents hit his mistakes. “I would sometimes leave the changeup up in the zone,” he said. “You want to miss down with that.”

He also throws the twoand four-seam fastball and curveball. The latter “has become my favorite offspeed pitch to throw,” he said, noting that it moves away from right-handed batters and in toward left-handed hitters.

Ozbolt has three years of eligibility remaining, including this season. He said fall camp will decide what his role on the pitching staff will be. “I just want to come in and make an impact whichever way I can,” he said.

More baseball

Right-hander Tyler Eppler lost his Aug. 11 start against Buffalo, dropping the Washington Nationals Triple A pitcher’s record to 2-8 with a 7.68 ERA in 18 games.

Send updates about area athletes to Barbara Boxleitner at jdanddoc@gmail.com.