RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team made its home debut on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma and the Wonder Boys made the most of the twin-bill, winning both games by scores of 9-3 and 10-2.
GAME ONE
In the first game, Northwestern Oklahoma scored first with two runs in the top of the third. The Wonder Boys would get one of the runs back in bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by
Simon Murray.
The Wonder Boys then took control of the game in the fifth with four runs on four hits. That inning started with a leadoff double by
Luke Ray.
Sawyer Duddleston was then hit-by-a-pitch, setting the stage for
Tyler Sardelli to tie the game on a RBI single to left. Tech then loaded the bases on an infield bunt single by
Christian Olea.
After the first out was made on a fielder's choice, the Wonder Boys took the lead on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Cole Dawson. The lead then grew to three thanks to a two-RBI single by
Kirby Jenkins.
The Wonder Boys would go on to add four more runs on insurance late in the game with two runs in the seventh and two in the eighth. The runs in the seventh came on a bases loaded walk to
Grant Jones and wild pitch allowing Murray to score. In the eighth, both runs scored on a monster two-run home run from
Dayton Francis.
Northwestern put together a rally in the top of the ninth and scored a run, but
Derek Rockett, who came on in relief to start the seventh, limited the damage there and secured his first career save. Rockett would pitch 3.0 innings, walk none and strike out three.
His save was in support of starter
Jack Rector, who picked up his first win of the season. Rector would pitch 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on four scattered hits while striking out eight.
GAME TWO
Northwestern Oklahoma would score first again in the second game of the doubleheader with a single run in the top of the first. The Wonder Boys, however, responded in their half of the inning and struck for four runs on five hits.
Duddleston led the inning off with a double. Two infield singles by Dawson and Olea loaded the bases with no outs. Murray then drove in the first run as he beat out an infield single to short. The second run was pushed across on a fielder's choice by Jenkins. Runs three and four scored on a two-RBI single from Francis.
The Rangers got a run back in the third, but the Wonder Boys matched that with a run in their half on a RBI double by Francis. Tech then broke the game wide open with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-2 lead. The big hit in the frame was a bases-clearing double by Jenkins.
Benefitting from all the offense in the second game was starter
Emiliano Mata. The senior would pitch 6.0 innings, scattering five hits, allowing two runs, walking none and striking out two.
Ashton Greenlee finished the game on the mound and pitched a scoreless inning.
UP NEXT
The Wonder Boys will go for the series sweep against Northwestern Oklahoma on Monday afternoon. First-pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
