MONTICELLO, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team overcame a 12-4 deficit through five innings and tied the game at 12-all in the top of the ninth, but ended up losing to Arkansas-Monticello 14-12 as UAM hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom half.
Just as they did in the previous two games of the series, Tech scored in the top of the first inning and plated three runs. All three runs in the frame scored with two outs. The big blow was a two-run home run off the bat of
Simon Murray. Later in the inning,
Dayton Francis doubled home the third run.
UAM answered back with five runs in their half of the first to take a two-run lead. The Wonder Boys would get a run back in the top of the second to pull within a run, but UAM's offense would go on to score seven runs over the next three innings to take the aforementioned 12-4 lead through five.
In the top of the sixth, Tech struck for six runs to climb back within striking distance. That inning really got going when the Wonder Boys loaded the bases with one out thanks to a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch.
Grant Jones was the first to take advantage of that as he hit a sacrifice fly. Duddleston and
Tyler Sardelli then got consecutive RBI base hits.
After a hit-by-pitch to
Christian Olea re-loaded the bases, Murray got his third RBI as he drew a walk. The next two runs also both scored on free passes with
Cole Dawson and Francis drawing the walks.
In the seventh, Tech got back within a run of UAM on a sac fly from Duddleston.
After neither team scored in the eighth, the Wonder Boys knotted the game in the top of the ninth on a pinch-hit solo home run from
Kirby Jenkins. Unfortunately, in the bottom half, UAM won the game with a two-run home run.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare a road mid-week game at Central Oklahoma this coming Tuesday. First-pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Edmond.
