A five-run outburst in the top of the sixth inning propelled Harding University to a 6-4 baseball victory over Arkansas Tech University at Tech Field in Russellville on Friday night in game one of a best 2-of-3 games series in the opening round of the Great American Conference Tournament.
The Wonder Boys (32-19) must defeat the Bisons (23-27) twice on Saturday, May 6, in order to advance to the final stage of the GAC Tournament May 11-13. First pitch on Saturday at Tech Field is set for 1 p.m.
Admission will be free. Live coverage will be available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
After five scoreless innings, Harding took advantage of four walks and one hit batsman during its sixth-inning rally. The Bisons also had three hits during the inning, including an RBI double by Grant Guest and an RBI single by Luke VanDover.
Arkansas Tech got back in the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Wonder Boys scored runs courtesy of an error, a wild pitch and a passed ball by Harding as they pulled within 5-3.
Korey Thompson’s RBI ground out in the bottom of the eighth cut the Bisons’ advantage to 5-4, but Harding added an insurance run courtesy of two Tech errors in the top of the ninth and Reed Roberts pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his first save of the season.
Austin Allen (7-4) earned the win on the mound by limiting the Wonder Boys to three runs, one of which was earned, on seven hits in six-plus innings.
ATU starting pitcher Kyle Wilson (8-1) was charged with five runs on six hits in six innings.