RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team rebounded from a one-hit shutout on Friday and scored 13 runs on 22 hits with seven of the hits being home runs across both games of Saturday's doubleheader at No. 8 Southern Arkansas. The jolt of offense was just not enough as SAU edged out Tech with a pair of one-run victories to complete the series sweep.
 
GAME ONE
In the opener, the Wonder Boys (9-6, 4-5 GAC) belted six of those home runs with Kandon Bennett and Trace Maddux leaving the yard once while Josh Detweiler and Shelby Quiggins notched a pair of home runs apiece. On the other end, however, the Muleriders (15-1, 9-0 GAC) connected for five longballs of their own.
 
Bennett's home run led off the game and gave the Wonder Boys a 1-0 lead. In the fourth, Quiggins hit his first homer, a two-run shot to centerfield that brought Tech within a run of the lead. Two innings later, Detweiler's first home run tied the game as he hit a solo shot to centerfield.
 
SAU hit a two-run shot in the bottom half of the inning to take a 6-4 lead.
 
In the top of the seventh, Tech knotted the score at six-all with a pair of solo homers. The first of those belonged to Maddux with the second coming off the bat of Detweiler. An inning later, another solo home run gave the Wonder Boys the lead as Quiggins hit his second bomb of the game.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, however, SAU hit a solo home run of their own to tie the game up and eventually send it to extra innings.
 
After not scoring in the top of the 10^th, the Wonder Boys found themselves in a tough spot in the bottom of the frame as SAU loaded the bases with no outs following a pair of singles and a walk. In the ensuing at-bat, the Muleriders ended the game on an infield single.
 
GAME TWO
The power show displayed by both teams in the opener carried over into the nightcap as the first seven combined runs of the game came via the home run.
 
The first four of those runs went in favor of SAU as the Muleriders hit two-run home runs in the second and third innings. In the top of the fourth, the Wonder Boys got on the board as Sam Stephenson connected for a three-run home run. The homer was the first in the collegiate career of Stephenson.
 
An inning later, Yadier Medina tied the game at four-all on a single through the right side.
 
The Muleriders had the answer in the bottom of the inning with a three-run home run to break the tie.
 
Tech would not score in the sixth, but rallied in the seventh for a pair of runs before SAU recorded the final out to secure the win and the sweep.
 
In that seventh inning, Stephenson and Bennett walked to start the frame. Maddux then singled to load the bases. Evan Hafley drove in Stephenson on a RBI single. With the bases still loaded and no outs, SAU gladly traded a run for two outs as they turned a double play. Following an intentional walk to set up a force at second or first, the Muleriders got just that as Tech ended the game hitting into a fielder's choice up the middle.
 
UP NEXT
The Wonder Boys will remain on the road for their upcoming midweek game and will travel to Clinton, Miss. to take on Mississippi College on Tuesday, March 8. First-pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.