GAME DAY INFORMATION
(1) ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS 27-14 (23-10 GAC)	(5) ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO BOLL WEEVILS 22-17 (19-14 GAC)
Monday, May 17 | 1 p.m. Arkadelphia, Ark. | Clyde Berry Field LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – A closely-contested opening round game this past Friday night with No. 8-seed Southwestern Oklahoma saw the top-seeded Arkansas Tech baseball team come away with a 3-2 victory that has advanced the Wonder Boys to the semifinal round of the 2021 Great American Conference Tournament.
 
Following an opening round that saw games take place on campus sites, the final four is set to take place at a single location, Clyde Berry Field on the campus of Henderson State in Arkadelphia. The Wonder Boys and their opponent, No. 5-seed Arkansas-Monticello are scheduled to play the first of two semifinal games on Monday, May 17. First-pitch between ATU and UAM is slated for 1 p.m.
 
The Wonder Boys will enter Arkadelphia play hitting .335 as a team (459-for-1371) and have a team slugging percentage of .534 and a team on-base percentage of .413. Collectively, the offense has scored 305 runs and hit 93 doubles, 15 triples and 50 home runs.
 
Seven of the lineup regulars are currently hitting over .300 with five over the .350 mark. The leading hitter in terms of average is Trace Maddux at .418 (59-for-141). He also has the team's best slugging percentage at .709 thanks to 16 doubles, five triples and five home runs. In terms of home run threats, the Wonder Boys are led by Jonathon Arrieta with 12. Maddux is also the team-leader RBIs with 44. Evan Hafley and Josh Detweiler are also long-ball threats as Hafley has nine and Detwiler has eight.
 
On the mound, the Wonder Boys have a 4.08 team ERA and have registered 363 strikeouts in 329.0 innings pitched. In the rotation, Tech has used the same three starters all season with Hayes Cox, Patrick Miner and Riyan Rodriguez all having made at least 13 starts so far. That trio has combined for a 20-9 record and 207 strikeouts in 211.0 innings. Miner got the start and victory in the opening round of the tournament on Friday night and now has nine wins and leads the GAC and ranks in the top-20 in DII in strikeouts with 98.
 
Out of the bullpen, the Wonder Boys have had two relievers appear in the most games in Mason Griffin (Rogers, Ark.) and Nick Kovar. Griffin is 2-1 in 12 relief appearances and has 39 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work (14.4 strikeouts/9inings). Kovar is 1-1 with five saves. In 19 relief appearances, he has a 1.46 ERA and has 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
 
For the Boll Weevils, they are the No. 5-seed in the tournament after posting a 19-14 record in GAC play. UAM advanced to this matchup with the Wonder Boys after powering past No, 4-seed Northwestern Oklahoma 16-5 this past Friday night.
 
The Boll Weevils currently have a .311 team batting average (407-for-1310) and have a team slugging percentage of .510 and a team on-base percentage of .395. As a team, the Boll Weevils have scored 407 runs and have hit 88 doubles, four triples and 55 home runs.
 
Six of their everyday players are hitting over .300. The leading hitter in terms of batting average is Jordan Johnson at .386 (56-for-145). Johnson also has the top RBI total on the team with 43 and is second in home runs with 12. The top power threat for the Boll Weevils ls is Dylan Borman with 15 home runs.
 
On the mound, the Boll Weevils have a 5.60 team ERA and have registered 378 strikeouts in 313.1 innings of work. River Hunt and Mason Philley have been two of the primary starters this season with both making double-digit starts. Hunt, who was the starter and winner on Friday, has appeared in 12 games and made 11 starts. Philley has also appeared in 12 games and has made 10 starts. Likely to get the start against the Wonder Boys, Philley is 2-3 with a 5.34 ERA. In 55.2 innings of work, Philley has registered an eye-popping 86 strikeouts.