RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team had a balanced and efficient day at the plate on Tuesday afternoon, totaling 13 runs on 12 hits and scoring at least one run in every inning as they beat Harding 13-8 in a midweek non-conference game.
In the first inning, the Wonder Boys struck for three runs on just one hit as
Kirby Jenkins cleared the bases on a double to left-centerfield. Prior to that, the Wonder Boys had loaded the bases with one out as
Cole Dawson and
Tyler Sardelli were hit-by-a-pitch followed by a walk to
Derek Rockett.
An inning later,
Drew Vega picked up a RBI on a fielder's choice to short. Vega's RBI drove in
Braden Watkins, who led the inning off by getting hit-by-a-pitch. The Bisons answered back in the top of the third and scored three runs to get within a run, but the Wonder Boys countered with two runs in the bottom half.
Both of the runs for the Wonder Boys in the third came on a two-RBI single to centerfield by Watkins. Tech then scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go up 8-3. The run in the fourth scored on a RBI double off the bat of Sardelli while the run in the fifth scored on a sacrifice fly by
Brendyn Bard.
The Bisons put together a second three-run inning in the top of the sixth to make it an 8-6 game. Tech then doubled their lead out to four runs with a pair of runs in the bottom half. The first runs were driven in by Rockett on a single up the middle while the second saw Rockett score on a RBI triple to right field by Jenkins.
In the seventh, Dawson drove in a pair of runs on a single up the middle. An inning later, the Wonder Boys scored their 13
th and final run on a double to left field by Bard.
Harding managed to score a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to bring the final score to 13-8.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare to hit the road this coming weekend for a three-game series at Southern Arkansas. The series is slated to start on Friday, February 27 at 6 p.m.
