ARKADELPIA, Ark. – The No. 20-ranked Arkansas Tech baseball team dropped its first Great American series of the year on Sunday as they lost the finale on the road against Ouachita. Due to field conditions at Rab Rodgers Field following overnight inclement weather, Sunday's game was played across the street from Ouachita at Henderson State's home park, Clyde Berry Field.
In the game, the Wonder Boys (16-7, 9-3 GAC) got off to a quick start with two runs in the top of the first inning, but Ouachita matched that plus one in their half of the first. In Tech's first inning,
Shane Poe was the first to score after his one out double.
Sawyer Duddleston, who went on to have a 4-for-4 day at the plate, then drove in Poe with a triple to centerfield. Two pitches later, Duddleston was able to race home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Nick Jones.
The Tigers (12-7, 7-5 GAC) then took more control of the game in the bottom of the second with a five-run frame to take an 8-2 lead.
Tech scored twice in the fourth to pull within four runs, 8-4.
Keaton Ranallo led the inning off with a four-pitch walk.
Logan Schwenke then was hit-by-a-pitch to put the first two batters on base. After the first out of the inning,
Markos Cabranes singled through the left side to load the bases with one out. A walk was then drawn by
Brady Prince to force home Ranallo. A batter later,
Cade McBride drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
Ouachita responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning.
With single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, the Wonder Boys closed the gap to three runs, 9-6, but once more the Tigers were able to respond and scored a run in the sixth and five in the seventh.
The run for the Wonder Boys in the fifth was a solo home run by Duddleston while the run in the sixth was a single to left by Prince.
The Wonder Boys would score twice in the top of the ninth to bring the game to its final score of 15-8. The runs were scored on the strength of a two-RBI double by
Ty Gordon.
The Wonder Boys will now head home and prepare for a weekend series against Northwestern Oklahoma. The three-game set is scheduled to take place at Baswell Field and begin with a single-game at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 17.
