TECH BASEBALL SPLITS WITH MISSOURI WESTERN

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys baseball team got back into action Monday afternoon after a wet field caused by snow had caused Tech to cancel games throughout the weekend.

         Tech was able to split a double header with the Missouri Western State Griffons. Tech’s record now stands at 10-10 on the season.

Game 1 – Arkansas Tech 3, Missouri Western 0

         Arkansas Tech took advantage of a complete game shutout performance by starting pitcher Zach Weiss (Barnhart, Mo.) to defeat Missouri Western by the final tally of 3-0.

         Weiss, who is now 2-3 on the year, threw seven innings, allowing only four hits, and striking out five Griffon hitters.

         Chris Jackson, who fell to 0-1 on the season, was saddled with the loss for the Griffons. He went four and one thirds innings, giving up seven hits, three runs, two walks, while striking out three.

         Tech was led offensively by senior left fielder Jantzen Black (Hackett, Ark.) who had a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning after Tech’s Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) had been walked to load the bases. Black calmly roped a double into left center field after MWSU inserted a new pitcher, Chris Rusler. Josh Holloway (Booneville, Ark.) and Hayden Miller (Sherwood, Ark.) each scored on the play.

         For the game, Black was 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Holloway recorded two hits and two runs for Tech and Miller also had a pair of hits in the contest. Sanchez had the other Tech RBI, as he drove in Holloway on a single of the middle.

Game 2 – Missouri Western 4, Arkansas Tech 2

         A four run fifth inning was enough to force a split as Missouri Western posted a 4-2 victory over the Wonder Boys in game two at Tech Field.

         The Griffons got sixth straight hits in the top half of the fifth inning, before senior pitcher Cody Taylor (Jacksonville, Texas) came on to get the final two outs of the inning and stop the bleeding.

         Taylor went on to finish the game for Tech, pitching well, as he went two and two thirds allowing no base runners.

         Andrew Elmendorf, Ben Toedebusch, Tommy Bone, and Greg Eucker all had hits in the fifth inning, and drove in a run a piece in the victory.

         Tech took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when shortstop Robbie Hohler (Searcy, Ark.) doubled and then advanced to third on a Miller bunt. Tyler Tate (Fort Smith, Ark.) then drove Hohler home on a groundout to second.

         The Wonder Boys then answered MWSU’s four-run fifth with one of their own in the bottom half. Hohler, again started things for Tech with a walk, Miller bunted him to second, and Tate got his second RBI of the game on a single to center field.

         That would be all the scoring for Tech, however. MWSU’s Blake Thomas picked up the win, his first of the 2008 season. He pitched four innings, giving up five hits, two runs, while striking out three.

         Kyle Grup was awarded a save for the Griffons after throwing two and a third innings in relief, allowing only one hit.

        The Wonder Boys are back in action Tuesday, March 11 when they play host to Northeastern [OK] State, with one nine inning game scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Tech Field.  

-- Tech Athletics --