WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team came out on the short end of a pair of pitchers' duels against No. 13-ranked Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon. Tech dropped the opener 2-1 in eight innings and the nightcap 1-0 in seven innings.
Prior to the start of the twin-bill, the opening game was scheduled to be a seven-inning contest, but when it was tied 1-all through seven complete and that game technically played into extra innings until completion, the nightcap then became the scheduled seven-inning game.
GAME ONE
The opening game started off as good as it can get for the Wonder Boys (2-4) as
Sam Stephenson led off the top of the first inning with his first home run of the season. One batter later,
Logan Schwenke singled through the left side and then stole second, but was stranded there as the Mules (3-3) got out of the first inning.
UCM knotted the score at 1-all in the bottom of the second with a two-out solo home run.
No further scoring occurred over the next five innings of action as the scheduled seven-inning game went into extra innings.
Prior to that, the Wonder Boys did have a couple of run-scoring opportunities, loading the bases in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively. In each instance, however, UCM was able to escape the threat. Conversely, the Mules only had two runners reach second base from the second inning through the seventh as Wonder Boys starter
Emiliano Mata was sharp followed by reliever
Tyler Sardelli.
Looking to not have the game go into extra innings, both teams were retired in ordered in the seventh.
In the top of the eighth, the Wonder Boys got a runner into scoring position thanks to a two-out double by
Cade McBride, but he would be stranded there on a groundout in the next at-bat.
The Mules then quickly applied pressure in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff walk. That runner was then forced into scoring position on a single through the left side. A successful sacrifice bunt then moved the potential winning run 90-feet away from home. The Mules then got the big hit with a single to right-center to end the game.
GAME TWO
Unfortunately, the bats did not come around for the Wonder Boys in the nightcap as they were held scoreless on four hits, all singles. Despite that, Tech was still in the game throughout as the Mules did not favor a whole lot better against starter
John Gray and reliever
Tex Cook.
The two combined to allow five hits (four singles) and one run with one walk and six strikeouts.
Gray would be tagged with the loss on the mound as the Mules scratched across a run on a sacrifice fly off Gray in the bottom of the third.
UP NEXT
The Wonder Boys and Mules will conclude their four-game series on Super Sunday. First-pitch is scheduled for Noon.
