HOUSTON, Texas – It wasn't easy, but the Arkansas Tech baseball team picked up its first win of the season on the final day of the Houston Winter Invitational on Sunday with a 7-6 walk off win over Alabama-Huntsville.
Both teams would score a run in the first inning and that score held until the top of the fourth when UAH plated a run. The Wonder Boys' run in the bottom of the first inning scored on a RBI single through the right side off the bat of
Kirby Jenkins.
The Chargers would hold on to their 2-1 lead until the sixth inning when the Wonder Boys scored three runs on two hits while also benefitting from three walks. The inning got going on a one-out single by
Cole Dawson. Jenkins then drew a walk and after the second out of the inning was recorded, he and Dawson pulled off a double steal to move into scoring position.
Levi Martin then walked to load the bases.
David Ossanna was then called upon to pinch-hit and drew a walk to force home Dawson.
Weston Johnston then singled to left field to drive in Jenkins and Martin and give Tech a 4-2 lead.
UAH got a run back in the next half inning to make it a 4-3 game. The damage could have been more, but the Chargers were thrown out at home on back-to-back plays to end the inning.
Tech would not score in the seventh and neither team scored in the eighth as the game pressed on to the ninth with the Wonder Boys leading by a run.
The first two batters of the inning were retired and for the second time in three days, the Wonder Boys were one out away from a victory. Unfortunately, the Chargers rallied and the next three batters reached on a single, a walk and a triple. The triple scored two runs to suddenly put UAH on top, 5-4. They added a run on insurance shortly thereafter on a wild pitch, giving them a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth,
Drew Vega got things going with a leadoff single up the middle. After the first out was recorded, Dawson singled to right-centerfield to move Vega to third. Jenkins then reached on a fielding error by the UAH shortstop, scoring Vega and advancing Dawson to second.
In the very next at-bat, another error was committed by the UAH shortstop as he had an errant throw to second base attempting to start a potential game-ending double play. With that error, Dawson would score the tying run and Jenkins was at third.
The Chargers then intentionally walked Martin to load the bases with one out. UAH would get a clutch second out on a swinging strikeout and looked as though they might escape the inning without further damage and send the game to extra innings, but a balk was called prior to the first pitch of the next at-bat, scoring Jenkins for the winning run.
The Wonder Boys will prepare for a four-game series on the road at No. 2 Central Missouri next weekend. The first game of the series is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first-pitch on Friday, February 6.
