ALVA, Okla. - After dropping their second-straight one-run game to Northwestern Oklahoma, the Arkansas Tech baseball team staved off a sweep in their road series with an 8-0 win in the finale on Saturday.
GAME ONE
The opening game of Saturday's doubleheader was a tightly-contested pitcher's duel throughout the first-third as there was no score. In the bottom of the fourth, Northwestern was the first to crack the board with a two-out solo home run. An inning later, the Rangers added two more runs and took a 3-0 lead.
That score would hold until the top of the eighth when the Wonder Boys picked up their first run of the game. That inning started with Brendyn Bard hitting a double. He was then moved over to third on a groundout to second base by Grant Jones. Two batters later, Bard scored on fielder's choice RBI by Markos Cabranes.
The Wonder Boys would hold the Rangers scoreless in the bottom of the inning to send the game to the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, the Wonder Boys pulled within a run and had the potential tying run in scoring position. Logan Schwenke led the inning off with a single through the left side. During the next at-bat, Schwenke would advance to second on a wild pitch and then made third as Christian Olea reached on fielding error by the NWOSU third baseman.
With runners on the corners and one out, Keaton Ranallo drove in Schwenke with a sacrifice fly to right field. Olea then moved into scoring position with the one out on a wild pitch, but the next two Wonder Boys would make outs as NWOSU fought off the Wonder Boys' comeback attempt.
GAME TWO
Saturday's nightcap got off to a quicker start offensively for the Wonder Boys as they scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Both runs scored on a clutch two-out single up the middle by Brandon Bunton.
An inning later, the Wonder Boys tacked on another run on a RBI single up the middle by Keaton Ranallo. In the fourth, the Wonder Boys scored two more runs thanks to a two-run home run to left-centerfield off the bat of Markos Cabranes.
That score would hold until the top of the seventh inning when the Wonder Boys put an exlimation mark on the game with three runs. None of those runs would come on the benefit of hit as Tyler Sardelli and Sawyer Duddleston both drew bases loaded walks while Ranallo also scored on a wild pitch.
All of that offense was in support of starter Jack Rector. The junior left-hander would pitch five complete innings and not allow a run. He would scatter four hits, issue two walks and strikeout six. Mason Griffin would handle the final two innings and was perfect while striking out four.
UP NEXT
The Wonder Boys will be back on the road for a mid-week non-conference game at Arkansas-Monticello on Tuesday, March 19. First-pitch for the game is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Weevils Field.
