RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech baseball team picked up their second mid-week win in as many tries on Tuesday night out at Baswell Field as they knocked off (rv) Southern Arkansas in a non-conference game by a score of 10-6.
Eventually earning the win, the Wonder Boys had to overcome a hot start by visiting SAU as the Muleriders scored five runs on four hits in the top of the first. All five of the runs scored via the longball as the Muleriders connected for a trio of homers in the inning.
After that big inning to start the game, the Wonder Boys came back in the bottom of the frame and put up four runs on three hits to make it a one-run game, 5-4. All of Tech's runs in the first were unearned as the Muleriders committed a pair of throwing errors by their third baseman.
The first of those came in Tech's leadoff at-bat as Grant Jones reached on the throwing error and was awarded second as it went out of play. Jones then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored easily moments later on a solid single through the left side of the infield off the bat of Markos Cabranes.
A double play followed and threatened to end the inning early, but a single by Nick Jones extended the inning to Keaton Ranallo. Ranallo's at-bat was where the second SAU throwing error of the inning occurred keeping the Wonder Boys alive at the plate.
Fortunately for the Wonder Boys, that second error was massive as Logan Schwenke connected for a three-run home run the other way to right field to make it a one-run game.
The Muleriders scored a single run in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly for their sixth run of the game. That run would end up being the final tally SAU would get as the trio of relievers for the Wonder Boys shut the Muleriders down over the final seven innings.
Jackson Sorey was the first one in relief for the Wonder Boys and came on to start the second inning. After allowing that one run in the second, Sorey came back in the third and retired the side in order. Evan Gaunt then pitched innings four through six and allowed just two hits with one strikeout.
As Sorey and Gaunt were holding the potent SAU lineup at bay, the Wonder Boys' offense came through in the fifth with three runs to take the lead, 7-6, and position Gaunt for his first win as a Wonder Boy.
In that fifth inning, Sawyer Duddleston led off with a hit-by-pitch and quickly scored on G. Jones' double to right field. Markos Cabranes then dropped a double just out of the reach of the SAU right fielder down the right field line. Unsure of if the ball would be caught off the bat of Cabranes, G. Jones only got to third on the play, but was there with no outs. Christian Olea then drew a walk to load the bases.
In the next at-bat, the Wonder Boys avoided the dreaded double play as N. Jones hit a high chopper to shortstop that drove in G. Jones, tying the score at six-all. Ranallo then hit a fly ball deep enough to centerfield to score Cabranes as the go-ahead run.
Gaunt then came back out for the sixth and after allowing a leadoff single, got a big double play and then retired the next batter to end the frame 1-2-3 and subsequently his time on the mound.
Will Horton was next in relief and the senior left-hander was downright filthy over the final three innings as he slammed the door shut on the Muleriders and earned his second career save. In his time on the mound, Horton did not allow a hit and struck out five of the nine batters he faced. Horton's second strikeout of the game, which came in the eighth inning was his 100th career strikeout.
With Horton retiring every batter faced, the Wonder Boys gave him some breathing room with three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to bring the score to its final of 10-6.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare for a home conference series this weekend against Southern Nazarene. The series is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 23 and conclude with a doubleheader the following day starting at 1 p.m.
