RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team opened up a nine-game home stand with a doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon out at Baswell Field. Neither end of the twin-bill would go the way of Tech, however, as NWOSU won the opener, 6-2, and took the nightcap, 3-1.
 
GAME ONE
In the opener, NWOSU got off to a quick start thanks to a two-run home run by Daschal Johnson off of Tech starter Patrick Miner. Miner did well to shake off that homer and proceeded to get out of the first inning by striking out the next two batters.
 
Miner was then able to use that momentum and settle into the start. He would go on to hold the Rangers (22-10, 17-9 GAC) scoreless over the next five innings and at one point retired 17-straight batters. That streak was snapped by Johnson in the top of the seventh inning on a first-pitch double down the left-field line.
 
Prior to that stretch by Miner, the Wonder Boys (20-13, 17-9 GAC) tallied their first run of the game in the bottom of the third on an infield single by Josh Detweiler. That run cut their deficit in half.
 
Following the Johnson double, NWOSU scored twice with RBI singles off of Miner, chasing him from the start. Overall, Miner had a solid outing on the mound, going 6.2 innings, walking none and striking out eight.
 
The Wonder Boys were unable to respond in the bottom of the seventh but picked up a run in the bottom of the eighth on a Detweiler RBI double that scored Evan Hafley, who hit a hustle double in the at-bat prior.
 
The Rangers would tack on two runs of insurance in the top of the ninth to bring the score to its eventual final of 6-2.
 
GAME TWO
In the nightcap, neither offense was able to push across a run until the top of the fifth when NWOSU struck for two runs on three hits. Prior to that, the Rangers had managed just one hit off of Tech starter Hayes Cox.
 
In the next inning, the Rangers added a run on a solo home run out to left field. A half inning later, the Wonder Boys threatened to cut into the lead as Trace Maddux walked followed by a hit-by-pitch taken by Gabriel Garcia. Bad luck struck the Wonder Boys next, however, as Jonathon Arrieta laced a liner up the middle that turned into a triple play as the NWOSU second baseman snagged the liner, tagged second for the second out and threw to first to complete the triple play.
 
Despite the air being sucked out of Baswell Field, the game was still within reach heading into the bottom of the seventh thanks to an unblemished inning of work in relief by Will Horton in the top of the frame.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Wonder Boys immediately had a runner in scoring position as Stormy Taylor, who was on to pinch-hit, hit a triple into right-centerfield. Two batters later, Matt Robbins doubled to score Taylor and bring the tying run to the plate. Another bout of unfortunate luck came next as Markos Cabranes hit a looping liner towards first base where the Rangers' first baseman leaped to take a hit away. The game ended a batter later.
 
The Wonder Boys and Rangers will complete their three-game series on Monday afternoon out at Baswell Field. First-pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.