Arkansas Tech University made it four consecutive Great American Conference series victories by taking 2-of-3 from Southern Nazarene University at Tech Field in Russellville on Friday and Saturday.
The Wonder Boys (14-10 overall, 9-6 GAC) will host the University of the Ozarks for a 5 p.m. non-conference game at Tech Field on Tuesday, March 20. Radio station KARV 101.3 FM/610 AM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage.
Game One: SNU 5, Tech 3
Austin Cooper’s relief pitching keyed a 5-3 Southern Nazarene win over Arkansas Tech in the series opener on Friday.
The Wonder Boys had the tying run on base in the bottom of the eighth inning when Cooper entered the game. He got a strikeout to end the threat and retired Tech in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his sixth save of 2018.
Harry Gard and Britt Stroth had two hits apiece for the Wonder Boys.
Game Two: Tech 10, SNU 4
A five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning propelled Arkansas Tech to a 10-4 victory against Southern Nazarene in the opener of a Saturday doubleheader.
Southern Nazarene led 4-0 until a run-scoring single by Cody Wescott, a sacrifice fly by Kyle Gibbs and a two-run double by Gard tied the score. The Wonder Boys took the lead for good at 5-4 on a Stroth RBI single.
Tech added four insurance runs in the sixth inning, and the relief pitching combination of Jared Droll and Anthony Race steered it home.
Droll (1-1) worked three and two-thirds shutout innings, striking out five Crimson Storm batters along the way. Race recorded the final three outs.
Game Three: Tech 8, SNU 5
Wescott went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs to lead Arkansas Tech to an 8-5 win over Southern Nazarene in the series finale.
The Wonder Boys broke a 4-4 tie on Gard’s RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning.
ATU reliever Degan Harte (3-1) allowed one run on one hit. He pitched one and two-thirds innings before giving way to Nolan Withrow, who pitched two perfect innings of relief for his third save of the season.
The win marked the fourth consecutive weekend the Wonder Boys had emerged victorious in a game three rubber match to win a GAC series.
