ALVA, Okla. – A four-run eighth inning for Northwestern Oklahoma (8-4, 3-1 GAC) allowed the Rangers to defeat the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (6-6, 1-3 GAC), 6-2, on Saturday in the opening game of three-game Great American Conference series.
 
NEXT UP

• Arkansas Tech returns to the field in Alva on Sunday to finish the series with Alva. The Wonder Boys and Rangers will battle in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at noon.

 
ARKANSAS TECH LINEUP

1. Britt Stroth (RF)
2. Dylan McDearmon (2B)
3. Harry Gard (CF)
4. Riley Hickerson (DH)
5. Cody Wescott (1B)
6. Mark Vaughn (LF)
7. Kyle Gibbs (3B)
8. Connor Brady (SS)
9. Michael Post (C)

       Hayes Cox (P)
 
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA LINEUP

1. Daschal Johnson (LF)
2. Luis Cintron (2B)
3. Jorin Van Amstel (DH)
4. Justin Bundy (1B)
5. Johnnuelle Ponce (CF)
6. Luis Mendoza (3B)
7. Harrison Hull (C)
8. Greg Carrington (RF)
9. T.J. Kassner (SS)

       Walker Wharton (P)
 
SCORING PLAYS

• Tech 1^st - R. Hickerson flied out to cf, SF, RBI (1-1 BF); D. McDearmon advanced to third; B. Stroth scored. (Tech 1, NWOSU 0)
• NWOSU 2^nd - H. Hull singled through the left side, RBI (2-1 BBK); L. Mendoza advanced to second; J. Ponce scored. (Tech 1, NWOSU 1)
• NWOSU 4^th - L. Mendoza homered to right field, RBI (1-0 B). (NWOSU 2, Tech 1)
• NWOSU 8^th - T. Kassner reached on an error by 3b (1-1 SB); Carrington advanced to second; H. Hull advanced to third; N. Kane scored, unearned. (NWOSU 3, Tech 1)
• NWOSU 8^th - L. Cintron singled through the right side, 2 RBI (1-2 FFFB); D. Johnson advanced to third; T. Kassner scored; Carrington scored. (NWOSU 5, Tech 1)
• NWOSU 8^th - L. Cintron advanced to second on a wild pitch; D. Johnson scored on a wild pitch. (NWOSU 6, Tech 1)
• Tech 9^th - C. Wescott homered to left field, RBI (0-0). (NWOSU 6, Tech 2)

 
OF RECORD

• Winning Pitcher – Walker Wharton (4-0)
• Losing Pitcher – Hayes Cox (2-2)

 
NOTABLES

• Stroth singled to right center to open the game in the top of the first inning, and he later scored on a sacrifice fly by Hickerson to give Tech the first lead of the nine-inning contest.
• Wescott hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season to lead off the ninth inning. McDearmon led the Wonder Boys with two hits in the game.
• Cox pitched the first 3.1 innings for Tech, allowing two runs and striking out two. Zack Kesterson relieved Cox in the fourth inning, tallying 4.2 innings on the mound to finish the game. Kesterson allowed four runs, three of the earned.