HOUSTON, Texas – The No. 19-ranked Arkansas Tech baseball team's time at Minute Maid Park is off to a great start as Tech edged out No. 13-ranked Augustana by a score of 3-2 on Friday afternoon.
 
There was no score in the game until the top of the third when Augustana scored on an infield single. A half inning later, the Wonder Boys (3-0) pushed across their first run of the game on a Logan Schwenke RBI single down the right field line.
 
Prior to Schwenke's base knock, Evan Hafley had singled to centerfield to lead off the inning. He then got into scoring position on a wild pitch. The next two batters got out, but Schwenke was able to come through to tie the game.
 
Nothing but zeros hung over the next three innings as each team's pitching was on display.
 
Both starters, Tanner Brown for Augie (0-1) and Will Horton for Tech would have nearly identical stat lines. Each pitched 5.0 innings, scattered four hits, allowed one run and walked none. The lone difference was in the strikeout department where Brown held a small advantage over Horton, 6-5.
 
After the starters were out, Tech and Augie turned to the bullpens where the solid pitching continued.
 
John Walsh came on in the sixth and worked a quick frame with two strikeouts and a groundout. He came back in the seventh and pitched another scoreless inning.
 
With the score still knotted at 1-all, Walsh came back for the eighth. Augie got a leadoff single, but that runner was erased on a caught stealing. Following that, the Vikings got a triple and that spelled the end of the game for Walsh.
 
Augie would push across the go-ahead run in the next at-bat on a wild pitch, but new reliever Mason Griffin was able to work out of the inning without further damage with an inning-ending double play.
 
Now in the top of the ninth, the Wonder Boys put the tying run on base quickly was Trace Maddux drew a leadoff walk. He was then sacrificed over to second by pinch-hitter Colton Richards. Maddux then scored in the next at-bat on an error by the Augustana third baseman.
 
Following that, the go-ahead run moved to third on a single through the left side off the bat of Carter Thessing. The Wonder Boys then went to some small ball with Ommar Jackson at the plate as he laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that resulted in him reaching on a fielder's choice and Thessing scoring the go-ahead run.
 
Now leading by a run, the Wonder Boys came out in the bottom of the ninth with Griffin still on the mound. He would get a big first out of 2021 All-American catcher Will Olsen before being relieved by third baseman Ty Van Meter.
 
Van Meter would allow a single to the first man he faced, but struckout the next two to close out the game and earn his first save as a Wonder Boy.
 
The Wonder Boys will now prepare for their next game on Saturday evening against Maryville. First-pitch for the game is scheduled for 5 p.m.