SEARCY, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys baseball team (21-28, 12-20 Great American Conference) locked up a spot in the GAC Tournament with a doubleheader split against Harding (22-25, 13-17 GAC) on Sunday. The Wonder Boys defeated the Bisons 5-4 in 10 innings of the opening game of the doubleheader before dropping the nightcap 2-1.
 
With the split and a Henderson State win over Ouachita Baptist today, the Wonder Boys have locked up the No. 8 spot in the GAC Tournament and will face either Arkansas-Monticello or Southwestern Oklahoma in the opening game of the GAC Tournament.
 
NEXT UP

• The Wonder Boys will play Harding in the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Searcy.

 
(GAME ONE) TECH STARTING LINEUP

1. Marcus Wilson (LF)
2. Dylan McDearmon (2B)
3. Kaleb Warden (1B)
4. Josh Watkins (RF)
5. Collin O'Neil (3B)
6. Korey Thompson (DH)
7. Connor Brady (SS)
8. Blake King (C)
9. Seth Wheeler (CF)

 
HU STARTING LINEUP

1. Zac Stewart (LF)
2. Harrison Hunter (CF)
3. Zach Beasley (1B)
4. Grant Guess (2B)
5. Chris Taylor (RF)
6. Blake Coward (DH)
7. Noah Chandler (3B)
8. Davis Richardson (C)
9. Alan Copeland (SS)

 
SCORING PLAYS

• HU 1^st - H. Hunter scored on a wild pitch. (HU 1, Tech 0)
• Tech 2^nd - B. King singled to left field, RBI (0-2 FK); C. Brady advanced to second; C. O'Neil scored. (Tech 1, HU 1)
• Tech 4^th - C. Brady grounded out to 2b, RBI (2-2 BBKF); C. O'Neil scored, unearned. (Tech 2, HU 1)
• Tech 5^th - D. McDearmon reached on a fielder's choice, RBI (2-2 BKBF); M. Wilson out at second ss to 2b; S. Wheeler scored. (Tech 3, HU 1)
• HU 5^th - Z. Stewart homered to left center, 2 RBI (3-1 FBBB); A. Copeland scored. (Tech 3, HU 3)
• Tech 7^th - M. Wilson singled to left field, advanced to second on the throw (1-1 BK); S. Wheeler advanced to third, scored on a throwing error by c, unearned; C. Brady advanced to third, out at home lf to c. (Tech 4, HU 3)
• HU 8^th - N. Chandler walked, RBI (3-1 BBBKB); C. Taylor advanced to second; G. Guest advanced to third; J. Chapman scored. (Tech 4, HU 4)
• Tech 10^th - C. O'Neil flied out to cf, SF, RBI (1-1 BK); M. Wilson scored. (Tech 5, HU 4)

 
OF RECORD

• Winning Pitcher: Ryan Vruggink (2-1)
• Losing Pitcher: Joshua Spears (0-2)
• Save: Jesse Harbin (10)

 
NOTABLES

• With the bases loaded and one out in the 10^th inning, Collin O'Neil hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Marcus Wilson from third to take the lead. O'Neil finished the game 2-for-4 from plate with an RBI and two runs scored.
• Marcus Wilson went 4-of-5 with the game winning run.
• Josh Watkins and Connor Brady tallied two hits apiece.
• Ryan Vruggink picked up his second win of the season with two scoreless innings of relief, giving up just three walks and struck out five. Jesse Harbin recorded his 10^th save of the season.

 
(GAME TWO) TECH STARTING LINEUP

1. Marcus Wilson (LF)
2. Dylan McDearmon (2B)
3. Kaleb Warden (1B)
4. Josh Watkins (RF)
5. Collin O'Neil (3B)
6. Korey Thompson (DH)
7. Connor Brady (SS)
8. Blake King (C)
9. Seth Wheeler (CF)

 
HU STARTING LINEUP

1. Zac Stewart (LF)
2. Harrison Hunter (CF)
3. Zach Beasley (1B)
4. Grant Guess (2B)
5. Chris Taylor (RF)
6. Blake Coward (DH)
7. Noah Chandler (3B)
8. Jaxon Mohr (C)
9. John Chapman (SS)

 
SCORING PLAYS

• Tech 3^rd - C. O'Neil doubled down the lf line, RBI (3-2 BBKBK); J. Watkins scored. (Tech 1, HU 0)
• HU 5^th - J. Mohr singled to left field, RBI (1-0 B); C. Taylor scored. (Tech 1, HU 1)
• HU 7^th - J. Mohr doubled to right center, RBI (0-0); B. Coward scored. (HU 2, Tech 1)

 
OF RECORD

• Winning Pitcher: Reed Roberts (3-1)
• Losing Pitcher: Trent Armstrong (4-8)

 
NOTABLES

• Collin O'Neil went 2-for-2 with an RBI double. Watkins went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
• Trent Armstrong pitched 6-1/3 innings in the loss, giving up just two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.