RUSSELLVILLE, — The Arkansas Tech baseball team played their first game of the 2024 season at home on Tuesday afternoon against Pittsburg State. In the home-opener, Tech came away with a 10-6 win in the key in-region clash.
Pittsburg State opened scoring in the game with a single tally in the top of the first inning on a solo home run. The Wonder Boys responded with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the frame. In that inning, the Wonder Boys got three-straight hits to open their day at the plate.
Shane Poe led the bottom of the first off with a double to right-centerfield. He then scored in the next at-bat as Keaton Ranallo traded places with him on a double of his own, but to the opposite gap in left-centerfield. Ranallo then made third on a single to right field by Christian Olea. A double play followed to score Ranallo for Tech's second run of the inning.
Pitt State would tie the score in the next half inning on a two-out single through the right side.
The Wonder Boys regained the lead in the bottom of the third with three runs on three hits as well as a Pitt State error. All of the damage done by the Wonder Boys in the third came with two outs and was started by a single to left field by Olea. Nick Jones then singled up the middle to score Olea, and on the single, Jones got to third as the Pitt State centerfielder misplayed the ball under his glove. Logan Schwenke then delivered the big hit of the inning as he laced two-run home run the other way to right field.
The Gorillas had one more rally in them and employed it in the top of the fifth with a three-run inning to tie the score at 5-all. After not being able to respond in the bottom of the fifth, the Wonder Boys had an answer in the sixth with two unearned runs.
Schwenke was the leadoff batter in the inning and reached on a fielding error by the Gorillas' centerfielder. After stealing third, and Brendyn Bard singling to third, Schwenke scored on a successful sacrifice bunt by Sawyer Duddleston. After the second out of the inning, the Wonder Boys turned to the bench and called on Grant Jones.
Immediately, the move paid off as Jones lined a double the other way down the left field line to chase home Bard. The Wonder Boys would add another single run in the bottom of the seventh to go up by three, 8-5.
In the eighth, Pitt State pushed across their final run of the game to pull within a couple of runs of Tech's lead. The Wonder Boys tacked on two runs of insurance in the bottom of the inning to bring the score to its eventual final margin of four runs, 10-6.
On the mound, the Wonder Boys used the mid-week game as live bullpens for several arms and used a total of eight pitchers against the Gorillas. Will Horton would come away with the winning decision to push his season record to 2-0. In his 2.0 innings of work, Horton did not allow a run or walk and struck out four while surrendering just one hit.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare for their first Great American Conference series of the year this coming weekend. That opening league series will take place on the road for the Wonder Boys as they will play at Oklahoma Baptist. The first game of the three-game series is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, February 16.
