RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – 48 hours later than originally scheduled, but Arkansas Tech and Henderson State played the first game of their three-game Great American Conference series at Baswell Field on Sunday night. The Wonder Boys would come away with the win, beating Henderson 6-3.
The scoring got started early for the Wonder Boys as they picked up a run in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI single from
Christian Olea. Olea's single drove in
Tyler Sardelli, who led off the inning with a single through the right side and then put himself in scoring position with a steal of second.
An inning later, the Wonder Boys scored twice on three hits to take a 3-0 lead through two innings.
Brendyn Bard got that frame going with a one-out single up the middle. He then was moved to third on a double to left field from
Luke Ray. Bard then scored in the next at-bat on a dropped third strike for the second out.
Cole Dawson followed with a RBI single to left.
The Reddies would be held scoreless in the third, but pushed across a pair of runs in the fourth to pull within a run of Tech's lead. An inning later, Henderson tied the score at three-all.
That tie did not last long, however, as the Wonder Boys answered back in their half of the fifth with two runs on three hits. Olea started that inning with a bunt single to third base.
Sawyer Duddleston then singled through the left side. Both scored in the next at-bat thanks to a double by
Kirby Jenkins.
After neither team scored in the sixth, the Wonder Boys picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on the strength of an opposite field solo home run from Jenkins out to right-centerfield.
That proved to be enough insurance for the Wonder Boys to secure the win for starting pitcher
John Gray as the bullpen arms of
Ashton Greenlee and
JT Cafferty shut down the Reddies over their final three trips to the plate as they managed just one hit and struck out four times. Gray had his best outing of the season, going 6.0 innings, scattering seven hits, allowing three runs, walking none and striking out four.
The series is now set to conclude on Monday afternoon with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
