Arkansas Tech University hitting pummeled East Central University pitching to the tune of 41 base hits during a Wonder Boys’ three-game sweep of the Tigers at Tech Field in Russellville on Friday and Saturday.
Tech (21-11 overall, 14-7 Great American Conference) is scheduled to host Southern Arkansas University for a 6 p.m. non-conference game at Tech Field on Tuesday, April 3. Live coverage will be available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
Game One: Tech 12, ECU 11
Korey Thompson’s walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night completed an Arkansas Tech comeback and gave the Wonder Boys a 12-11 win over East Central in the series opener.
The Tigers led 9-4 after five innings. Mark Vaughn and Kyle Gibbs finished with three runs batted in apiece for Tech, while Thompson and Shane Pollard added two RBIs apiece.
Nolan Withrow (2-0) provided the Wonder Boys with one and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief pitching.
Game Two: Tech 15, ECU 5
Britt Stroth and Riley Hickerson led an offensive onslaught that carried Arkansas Tech over East Central 15-5 in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Stroth was 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. Hickerson finished 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. Thompson drove in two runs for the Wonder Boys.
Zack Kesterson (1-3) was the winning pitcher. He surrendered five runs on seven hits over six innings.
Game Three: Tech 14, ECU 6
Three more Arkansas Tech home runs in the series finale helped the Wonder Boys complete the sweep by defeating East Central 14-6.
Pollard, Hickerson and Cody Wescott all went deep for Tech. Each of them finished the game with three RBIs.
Vaughn and Thompson added two RBIs apiece for the Wonder Boys.
Hayes Cox (5-2) pitched the first five innings for Tech. He was charged with four runs, three of which were earned, on eight hits.