Arkansas Tech University’s 2016 baseball season came to an end on Friday with a pair of losses in the Great American Conference Tournament at Clyde Berry Field in Arkadelphia.
The University of Arkansas-Monticello defeated the Wonder Boys 4-3 in a winners’ bracket game on Friday afternoon and Henderson State University topped Arkansas Tech 10-3 in an elimination contest that evening.
UAM (35-14) and HSU (31-24) will play for the GAC Tournament title beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The Wonder Boys completed the 2016 season with an overall record of 24-31. They reached the baseball postseason for a seventh consecutive year.
Game One: UAM 4, Tech 3
C.J. Womack scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning to propel UA-Monticello to a 4-3 win over Arkansas Tech on Friday.
The final frame started with Boll Weevil designated hitter Guy Halbert reaching on an error. Womack replaced him as a pinch runner and later broke a 3-3 tie when he raced home as Corey Wood hit into a fielder’s choice.
UAM pitcher Chad Bradford (1-1) worked his second consecutive scoreless inning of relief in the bottom of the ninth to secure the Boll Weevils’ victory.
Arkansas Tech reliever Branden Bohuslav (3-5) was tagged with the loss. He limited UAM to one unearned run on no hits over three innings.
Wood, Evan Comeau, Travis Steinke and Mitchell Dornblut had one run batted in apiece for the Boll Weevils. Comeau was 4-for-4.
Marcus Wilson went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Wonder Boys. Tech’s Kaleb Warden and Collin O’Neil both drove in a run.
Game Two: HSU 10, Tech 3
Henderson State qualified for its second consecutive GAC Tournament championship round appearance by defeating Arkansas Tech 10-3 on Friday night.
Jordan Taylor, Hayden Lessenberry, AJ Kruzel and Alex Morgan each had two RBIs for the Reddies. Morgan and Hunter Mayall notched three hits apiece.
The Reddies broke a 3-3 tie and took the lead for good on a sacrifice fly by Taylor in the top of the sixth inning.
Henderson State put the game out of reach by erupting for six runs on four hits in the top of the seventh.
Reddie starting pitcher Luke Tebbetts (5-4) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. Jay Hawley and Josh Henderson combined to work three scoreless innings of relief for HSU.
Arkansas Tech reliever John Beck (0-2) was the losing pitcher. He went one and two-thirds innings and was charged with two runs on three hits.
Josh Watkins hit a two-run home run and Wilson delivered a solo home run for the Wonder Boys.
