WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team opened their four-game road series at No. 2-ranked Central Missouri on Friday afternoon and lost to UCM by a score of 16-6 in eight innings.
UCM took control of the game early with a run in the first, four in the second and three in the third. The Wonder Boys first got on the board themselves in the top of the fourth as pinch-hitter
Zack Burrows reached base on an error, allowing
Kirby Jenkins to score. Two batters prior, Jenkins doubled to left-centerfield.
The Mules then created more separation with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. Only two of those runs scored were earned.
Tech then came back with a five-run top of the seventh inning to stave off the 10-run rule at the time.
In that seventh,
Levi Martin led off with a walk and then quickly scored on a double to left-center by Burrow. Burrow was thrown out trying for a triple on the play. After the second out was recorded, the Wonder Boys extended the inning as
David Ossanna drew a walk and
Tommy Caya was hit-by-a-pitch.
Drew Vega then hit two-RBI double down the left field line.
The inning continued and two batters later, the bases were loaded as
Tyler Sardelli hit a single through the left side and
Cole Dawson drew a walk. That allowed Jenkins to bat in the seventh and he promptly singled home Vega and pinch-runner
Aiden Reynolds and making it a 15-6 game.
UCM wouldn't score in the bottom of the seventh and the Wonder Boys would be retired in order in the top of the eighth. The Mules sent only two batters to the plate in the bottom of the eighth as consecutive doubles were enough to push the margin to the run-rule, ending the game.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare for games two and three of the series as they will play a doubleheader with the Mules starting at noon on Saturday.
