Nationally top-ranked West Florida overcame a four-run deficit to defeat the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys 6-5 in the first round of the 2011 Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn., on Friday afternoon.
Arkansas Tech (29-18) led 5-1 after two-and-a-half innings. The Wonder Boys scored four runs on six hits in the second inning to take a 4-1 edge. Josh Riley’s RBI double in the top of the third increased it to a four-run advantage.
The Argonauts (43-6) steadily chipped away. UWF’s Leo Lamarche knocked in a run with a single in the bottom of the third. Taye Larry cut the Wonder Boys’ edge to 5-4 with a two-RBI single one inning later.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh inning. Brandon Brewer led off that frame for the Argonauts with a double. Two batters later, Dustin Lawley sent a two-run home run over the left field fence to put West Florida ahead 6-5.
UWF closer Shane Waller came in to get the final six outs and record his 11th save of the season.
Kevin Peters (5-1) pitched one inning of relief for the Argos to pick up the win. Arkansas Tech reliever Tyler Dowse (3-3) took the loss.
Madison Beaird (photographed), Nick Makris, Colt Loehrs, Riley and Chris Reese had two hits apiece for the Wonder Boys.
Matt Johnson delivered a second-inning single to extend his hitting streak to 30 consecutive games, matching the longest such streak in Arkansas Tech baseball history. Jantzen Black had a 30-game hitting streak for the Wonder Boys in 2008.
Arkansas Tech will face either Southern Arkansas or Valdosta State in an elimination game at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.
Radio station KCAB 980 AM will have the broadcast.
Click here to access an Internet stream of the broadcast.
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