RUSSELLVILLE — The 2021 regular season has come down to one final weekend and after 10 weekends of conference play, absolutely nothing has been decided in the Great American Conference and as many as four teams have a chance at claiming at least a share of the regular season championship by weekend's end.
Among those teams vying for the regular season crown are Arkansas Tech, Oklahoma Baptist, Northwestern Oklahoma and Southern Arkansas. Heading into the weekend, Tech, OKBU and NWOSU are tied for second with a GAC record of 20-10. Slightly ahead of that pack is SAU as they have a one-game lead at 21-9. SAU and NWOSU will face one another this weekend and the winner of the series will have a leg up in any tie-breaker scenario. The Muleriders and Rangers can tie their GAC record if NWOSU wins two-of-three.
Oklahoma Baptist and Arkansas Tech are not facing each other, but still need to come away with a series win against their weekend opponents, Henderson State and Southeastern Oklahoma, for a chance to claim a share. A sweep for either the Bison or the Wonder Boys will put them in a position to be the sole champion at 23-10.
However, if they both sweep their respective series, they would share the title with one another. If that were to happen, there are also two other scenarios are out there that could see NWOSU and/or SAU share the title at 23-10. Those scenarios that exist are NWOSU sweeping SAU or SAU wining two-of-three games. SAU is the only team in the mix that is assured a sole regular season championship with a sweep.
Outside of the potential scenarios that lay ahead, the Wonder Boys are hitting .333 as a team (414-for-1245) and have a team slugging percentage of .522 and a team on-base percentage of .413. Collectively, the offense has scored 275 runs and hit 85 doubles, 14 triples and 41 home runs.
Seven of the lineup regulars are currently hitting over .300 with six over the .350 mark. The leading hitter in terms of average is Trace Maddux at .397 (50-for-126). He also has the team's third-best slugging percentage at .635 thanks to 13 doubles, four triples and three home runs. In terms of home run threats, the Wonder Boys are led by Jonathon Arrieta with 10. Arrieta is also leading the team in RBIs with 41. Josh Detweiler and Evan Hafley are tied for second on the team in home runs with seven.
On the mound, the Wonder Boys have a 4.27 team ERA and have registered 331 strikeouts in 297.0 innings pitched. In the rotation, Tech has used the same three starters all season with Hayes Cox, Patrick Miner and Riyan Rodriguez all having made 12 starts so far. That trio has combined for a 17-9 record and 185 strikeouts in 185.1 innings. Miner has the most wins with seven and is currently the team-leader in strikeouts with 79.
Out of the bullpen, the Wonder Boys have had two relievers appear in double-digit games in Mason Griffin (Rogers, Ark.) and Nick Kovar. Griffin is 2-1 in 12 relief appearances and has 39 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work (14.4 strikeouts/9inings). Kovar is 1-1 with four saves. In 17 relief appearances, he has a 1.74 ERA and has 17 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.
For the Savage Storm, they currently have a .281 team batting average (324-for-1154) and have a team slugging percentage of .475 and a team on-base percentage of .380. As a team, the Bisons have scored 240 runs and have hit 65 doubles, 6 triples and 49 home runs.
Three of their everyday players are hitting over .300. The leading hitter in terms of batting average is Seth Morrow at .393 (53-for-135). Morrow also has the top slugging percentage on the team at .778 thanks to 13 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs. His 51 RBIs also rank first on the team. The top power threat for the Savage Storm is Morrow as he has 11 home runs.
On the mound, the Savage Storm have a 7.08 team ERA and have registered 266 strikeouts in 290.0 innings of work. Tyler Dean, Jacob Potter and Mason Whitmarsh have been the primary weekend starters. Potter has logged the most innings at 53.2 and is 3-2 with a 5.03 ERA. He also has the strikeouts among starters with 49 in 53.2 innings.
