RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys will look for their sixth consecutive Great American Conference series victory this weekend, as Tech hosts East Central in a three-game series. Play begins on Friday with a single game scheduled for 7 p.m. The series will conclude with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
GAME COVERAGE
Live video and statistics for all three games are available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
ALL-TIME SERIES
In a series that began in 2000, Tech leads the all-time series 25-15 against East Central. The Wonder Boys have also compiled a 14-3 record against the Tigers as league opponents. However the two teams are deadlocked at 10-10 when playing in Russellville. Tech has won seven of the last eight meetings, including a current five game winning streak. Last season Tech scored 10 plus runs in all three wins against the Tigers. The Wonder Boys outscored East Central 36-15, winning 11-7, 10-2 and 15-6.
SCOUTING THE WONDER BOYS
Arkansas Tech (18-11, 11-7 GAC) enters the weekend after a 10-6 non-conference win over Ouachita on Tuesday in Arkadelphia. The Wonder Boys defeated Oklahoma Baptist twice in a three-game series last weekend, keeping Tech in fourth place in the GAC standings.
In the month of March, the Wonder Boys have posted a 10-5 record. During that time, Harry Gard leads Arkansas Tech with a .438 batting average and a .625 slugging percentage. Gard also ranks fourth in the GAC in on base percentage at .463. Over the past 15 games, Riley Hickerson has led the Wonder Boys in hits (18), RBIs (15), runs scored (13) and total bases (31). In the win over Ouachita on Tuesday, Hickerson went 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs. Hickerson ranks fifth in the conference in RBIs, is tied for eighth in runs scored and is 11th in batting average (.355).
Hayes Cox leads Tech's starting pitchers with a 4-2 record and a 3.15 earned-run average, seventh lowest in the conference. Michael Mueller has pitched a team-high 52.1 innings in eight starts this season and has maintained a 4.47 earned-run average. Mueller ranks second in the GAC in strikeouts with 58 and ranked third in innings pitched. Layton Robinson has recorded a perfect 2-0 record this month. Robinson tallied a 0.56 earned-run average in 16.0 innings, while striking out 19 batters.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
East Central (2-25, 1-17 GAC) is ranked last in the GAC standings. The Tigers have lost five straight games and 24 of their last 25. Last weekend, East Central was swept by Henderson State. The Reddies outscored ECU 31-2, defeating the Tigers 15-1, 6-1 and 10-0.
The Tigers have three players hitting over .300 on the season, with senior Bryce Dimitroff leading the way with a .327 average. Dimitroff has 33 hits, 11 runs and 11 RBIs. Cale Ridling follows with a .315 batting average. Ridling has 17 hits, 10 runs and 10 RBIs. Trevor Crone is the only other player batting over .300 with a .307 batting average. Crone leads the team with 17 RBIs and is tied for the lead with six doubles and four home runs.
Of the 14 members of the pitching staff, Logan Lannon and Alec Lemmon are the only players with over 35.0 innings of action. Lannon has pitched 46.1 innings, has a 0-7 record with a 6.99 earned-run average. Lemmon leads the team with 50 strikeouts and has recorded a 0-6 record with a 9.39 earned-run average in 38.1 innings of work.
-FIGHTON-
