ALVA, Okla. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team won the series-opener at Northwestern Oklahoma on Friday afternoon, 6-4. Senior outfielder
Kirby Jenkins was a key cog in the win as he was 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs.
The first of Jenkins' homers came in the top of the first and was a two-run shot as
Cole Dawson walked in the plate appearance prior. Northwestern would get one of those runs back in their half of the first on a two-out RBI single.
In the third, Jenkins led off with a double and got to third on an error by the Northwestern left fielder. Two batters later,
Derek Rockett drove in Jenkins on a single up the middle. Again, the Rangers had an answer in their half of the inning as they scored on two-out RBI double to right.
The Rangers then grabbed the lead, 4-3 on a two-run home run. That lead did not last long, however, as
Tyler Sardelli parked one himself to lead off the top of the fifth, tying the score at 4-all.
The score remained knotted at 4-all until the top of the seventh when Jenkins connected for his second home run leading off the inning. Later in the frame, Rockett collected his second RBI as he drove in Sardelli, who walked in his plate appearance, on a sacrifice fly.
Ashton Greenlee, who came on in relief to start the bottom of the fifth, made the lead hold up as he would keep the Rangers scoreless through his 4.0 innings of work. Greenless would not allow a hit, walked three and struck out five.
After getting the game to the ninth, Greenlee was relieved by
Eric Woodley, who pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning to put the nails in his second save of the season. Woodley would collect a pair of strikeouts in the outing as well.
The Wonder Boys and Rangers will conclude their series with a doubleheader starting at Noon on Saturday.
