RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team secured their first series victory of the year and did so in sweeping fashion as they took both ends of Monday's doubleheader against East Central out at Baswell Field. Tech won the opener 6-3 and nabbed the nightcap 10-2.
GAME ONE
In the opener, the Wonder Boys (8-3, 4-2 GAC) fell behind 2-0 after the Tigers (1-12, 0-6 GAC) scored a pair of runs in the top of the third. In the bottom half of the inning, however, the Wonder Boys answered right back and scored five runs on three hits while also benefitting from a pair of ECU errors.
In that frame,
Trevor Martin led off with a single to centerfield.
Sam Stephenson then reached on a throwing error by the ECU pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt, advancing Martin to second.
Kandon Bennett then laid down a perfectly-placed bunt down the left field line and ended up on second after another errant throw from the Tigers' pitcher. On that play, Martin came around to score while Stephenson advanced to second.
Ty Van Meter then hit a sacrifice fly out to right field to score Stephenson. Bennett also advanced on the flyout. In the next at-bat, Bennett scored on a RBI single from
Evan Hafley. Consecutive walks issued to
Josh Detweiler and
Trace Maddux loaded the bases.
Yadier Medina was then hit-by-a-pitch to force home Hafley for the fourth run of the inning.
Logan Schwenke then followed with a sacrifice fly out to right field for the fifth and final run of the bottom of the third for the Wonder Boys.
Neither team would score over the next three innings.
In the top of the seventh, ECU pushed across their third run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field.
Tech got that run back and added one in the bottom half on the strength of a two-run home run by Detweiler.
Will Horton got the start for the Wonder Boys and he earned the win after pitching 6.0 innings, scattering five hits, allowing two runs, walking none and striking out seven. The win was the first in the career of Horton.
Pitching in relief of Horton in the game were
Jackson Sorey,
Shelby Quiggins and
Mason Griffin. Sorey only faced three batters and was tagged with the third run by ECU. Quiggins worked two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and walked one. Griffin handled the ninth and tossed a zero while striking out nine.
GAME TWO
In the nightcap, the Wonder Boys fell behind again by a pair of runs as the Tigers scored twice on four hits in the top of the first. Despite the early damage, game two starter
Shane Scott bounced back and struck out the last two batters of the inning to end the first.
From there, Scott was dialed in allowing just two hits and three base runners over the next six innings as he ended up pitching a complete game. The final line for Scott saw him pitch 7.0 innings, scatter six hits, allow two runs, walk none and strikeout eight.
On the offensive end, Scott was backed by 10 runs on just six hits as the Wonder Boys were able to take advantage of eight walks, a hit-by-pitch and five wild pitches.
The hits that scored runs came in the bottom of the second on a Detwiler solo home run and in the sixth on RBI singles by Hafley and Detweiler.
UP NEXT
The Wonder Boys will now hit the road for a quick turnaround and travel to Jackson, Tenn. to take Union University in a non-conference game on Tuesday afternoon. First-pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
