RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – A top-notch pitcher's duel was taking place through the first six and a half innings of Saturday night's series opener between the Arkansas Tech and Arkansas-Monticello baseball teams, but seven runs over the seventh and eighth innings provided enough separation for Tech as they went on to win 8-4.
That pitcher's duel that dominated the first part of the game saw Wonder Boys' (10-7, 5-5 GAC) starter
Patrick Miner and UAM's starter Derek Potts match seemingly match one another pitch for pitch. Both right-handers allowed a run in the second inning, but aside from that, each was fairly dominant through six innings over work.
The one run for UAM scored on a two-out RBI double while Tech's run scored on a solo home run by
Evan Hafley.
Through that point, Miner had allowed the one run, two hits and struck out seven. Potts, on the other end, allowed the one run on four hits with seven strikeouts.
The turning point of the game came in the seventh inning.
In the top half, Miner displayed tremendous resolve and worked around an error that allowed the leadoff batter to reach second base. With the potential go-ahead run in scoring position with no outs, Miner induced three-straight harmless flyouts to escape the inning unscathed.
In the bottom half, the Tech offense erupted for six runs on six hits, while also taking advantage of a Boll Weevil (5-11, 3-7 GAC) error.
Hafley led off the inning with a double off the wall in centerfield. The bases then were loaded with no outs as
Shelby Quiggins was hit-by-a-pitch and
Sam Stephenson singled into centerfield. Following strikeout,
Ommar Jackson picked up a RBI on a fielder's choice that kept the bases loaded.
Kandon Bennett then dropped a single to centerfield to score Quiggins and Stephenson.
On that same play, Jackson was also able to score on an errant throw by the UAM shortstop, trying to cut him down a third.
Trace Maddux then singled home Bennett for the fifth run of the inning. After stealing second, Maddux was then driven in himself on a single up the middle by
Yadier Medina.
UAM scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the eighth, but the Wonder Boys pulled off a double steal with runners on the corners and one out to push their lead back out to five, 8-3. In the top of the ninth, the Boll Weevils scored their final run on a two-out solo home run.
Miner earned the win on the mound and moved to 4-0 on the season.
The Wonder Boys and Boll Weevils will now turn their attention toward Sunday as they will play a doubleheader to conclude the series starting at 1 p.m.
