RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - After consecutive weekends of non-conference action to open the 2018 season, the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys will begin play in the Great American Conference this weekend against Southwestern Oklahoma in Weatherford, Okla. Tech and the Bulldogs will begin with a doubleheader scheduled for noon on Saturday, followed by a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

GAME COVERAGE

Live video and statistics for all three games are available at www.arkansastechsports.com.

ALL-TIME SERIES

The Wonder Boys hold a 16-8 advantage in the all-time series that began in 2010. Arkansas Tech has won five consecutive contests against SWOSU, including a three-game sweep last season in which the Wonder Boys outscored the Bulldogs 29-6.

SCOUTING THE WONDER BOYS

Arkansas Tech (5-3) is coming off a four-game split with Missouri Western last weekend in Tech's home opener. The Wonder Boys batted .278 as a team in the series, while Tech's defense held MWSU to a .256 team batting average. 

Riley Hickerson leads the Wonder Boys with 12 hits and a .444 batting average this season. He has recorded two hits in five of eight games, and he joins Kyle Gibbs and Mark Vaughn as the only players to reach base in all eight games. Connor Brady follows with a .417 average on the season, and Cody Wescott has batted in a team-high nine runs.

Hayes Cox has started two games on the mound, resulting in a 1-1 record and a 1.98 earned-run average in 13.2 innings. Michael Mueller is 0-1 this season but has struck out a team-high 16 batters in 10.0 innings. Nolan Withrow leads the bullpen with 5.1 innings pitched and two saves in four appearances. 


SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Southwestern Oklahoma State (3-4) enters the weekend after losing two of three games to No. 20 Angelo State last weekend. The Bulldogs opened the series with a 9-6 win but were outscored 21-3 in the final two games. 

Alex Pimentel has recorded 14 hits in seven games, and he also leads the team with six runs, nine runs batted in and three doubles. Bryan Miranda follows with a .379 batting average and a team-high three stolen bases.

Jake Cowan leads the Bulldogs on the mound with a 1-1 record and 10.1 innings pitched in two starts this season. Cowan went seven innings with just two runs allowed in SWOSU's win over Angelo State. Drew Grubb has struck out 13 batters in just 8.1 innings, and Gabe Jacobo has produced a 10.00 earned-run average in two starts.