SEARCY, Ark. – For the fourth-straight year, the Arkansas Tech baseball program has reached the 30-win mark, doing so on the final day of the regular season thanks to a doubleheader sweep on the road at Harding. Tech would come-from-behind and knock off Harding by a run, 5-4, in the opener and then won the second game, 5-1.
GAME ONE
In the opener, Harding got out to a 2-0 lead with single runs in each of the first two innings. It was not until the top of the fourth that the Wonder Boys cracked the scoreboard, do so on a RBI groundout by
Tommy Caya. His groundout scored
Cole Dawson, who walked with one out three at-bats prior.
In the sixth, Harding scored twice to take a 4-1 lead.
Caya got one of those runs back with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.
It would remain a 4-2 score until the top of the ninth inning when the Wonder Boys rallied to score three runs on three hits to take a 5-4 lead. Harding managed to get the first out of the inning from the leadoff hitter, but
Tyler Sardelli singled through the right side to bring the potential tying run to the plate in the form of
Kirby Jenkins.
Sardelli's hit also signaled the end of the game for Harding starter Merritt Jay as he was lifted for closer, Austin Kelly. Kelly would walk Jenkins and then allowed a single to Caya to load the bases with one out.
Levi Martin then drew a bases loaded walk to bring the Wonder Boys within a run, 4-3.
Weston Johnston then singled on the infield to second base to drive in Jenkins for the tying run while keeping the bases loaded.
That allowed
Brendyn Bard to hit a fly ball deep enough to right field for a sacrifice fly and the lead.
Now with the lead, the Wonder Boys entered the bottom of the ninth with their closer,
Eric Woodley coming to the mound. Woodley made things as non-dramatic as one would want as he retired the side in order, getting the last hitter on strikes swinging.
GAME TWO
In game two, Tech was the one who got out to a 2-0 lead as they scored a pair of runs in the top of the second. The first run scored on a RBI fielder's choice by Johnston that scored Jenkins, who led the inning off with a single. The second run scored in the next at-bat as Bard hit an infield single to short to score Caya.
Harding got one of those runs back and scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the second on a two-out single.
In the fourth, Tech pushed their lead out to 4-1 on RBI singles from Martin and Bard. They added another run of insurance in the sixth on a RBI single from
Drew Vega.
Tech starter,
Daniel Hutchison came out in search of a complete game and got the first two batters, but a hit-by-pitch followed by a single put the potential tying run on deck. With just one more out to get, the Wonder Boys called upon Woodley to close out the game once more.
He would do so efficiently and got a harmless flyout to centerfield to end it.
UP NEXT
Finishing the year, 23-10 in conference play, the Wonder Boys have secured the No. 2-seed in the upcoming Great American Conference Tournament and will take on the No. 7-seed, Ouachita Baptist, in the first game. That game is slated for a 4:30 p.m. start time on Thursday, April 30 from Majestic Park in Hot Springs.
