ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

ATHLETICS 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2008
Contact: Aaron Jones (479) 968-0645

TECH EARNS A PAIR OF GSC WINS OVER HENDERSON STATE

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys baseball team opened Gulf South Conference play here Saturday with a twin bill sweep of the Henderson State Reddies. With the victories, Tech improved their record to 13-10 (2-0 GSC) on the year.

Game 1 - Arkansas Tech 6, Henderson State 3

          Henderson State was able to out-hit Tech 10-9 in the GSC conference opener, but Tech was able to plate six runs to the Reddies’ three for the win.

        Zach Weiss (Barnhart, Mo.) improved his pitching record to 3-3 on the season as he tossed 5.1 innings, allowing seven hits, two runs and striking out four. Cody Taylor (Jacksonville, Texas) pitched a strong 3.2 innings and picked up the save, his first of the year. Taylor allowed just three hits, a run, while striking out two hitters.

        The Wonder Boys were able to score all six of their runs before the Reddies plated a run. Tech got on the board first in the bottom of the second on an RBI single up the middle by senior first baseman Brad Green (Cabot, Ark.). Tech would get two more the very next inning when the Wonder Boys successfully executed a first and third double steal when Josh Holloway (Booneville, Ark.) stole second and Tyler Tate (Fort Smith, Ark.) was able to steal home on the throw to second. After Holloway advanced to third on an error, Jantzen Black (Greenwood, Ark.) singled, scoring Holloway.

        After a silent fourth inning, the Tech bats got going again in the bottom half of the fifth. Tate was the first to score in the inning when he stole third and a bad throw by Reddie catcher Brian Coggins allowed him to advance home. Holloway then reached and later crossed on a Black base hit and then Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) would reach home safely on a Green sacrifice fly.

        Chris Brown was saddled with the loss for the Reddies. His record dropped to 4-3 after he allowed eight hits, six runs, four earned, in six innings of work.

        Black and Green led the way offensively for Tech, as they were each 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Tech was able to swipe four bases in the contest with Tate taking two, Black one, and Holloway one.

Game 2 – Arkansas Tech 6, Henderson State 1

          The Wonder Boys used a solid pitching effort from senior Craig Cameron (Knoxville, Iowa) to pick up a 6-1 victory, and move to 2-0 in GSC play on the year.

        Cameron hurled six innings allowing only one run, walking none, and striking out four in the contest. Josh Floriani (Malvern, Ark.) came in and shut the door for Tech in the final inning.

        Reddie bats were only able to muster six hits in the contest while Tech used eight hits to plate six runs.

        HSU scored their lone run of the contest on a solo homerun by designated hitter Robert Gilbert in the top of the sixth inning.

        The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Tech catcher Justin Bollig (Moore, Okla.) laced a double to left field scoring Black and Sanchez. Bollig finished the contest 2 for 2 with a run scored and two RBIs.

        Tech then took advantage of a pair of hit batsmen and three straight singles in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the game away. Sanchez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Bollig singled and Green was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tech designated hitter Jonathan Houston (Conway, Ark.) then hit an RBI single, shortstop Robbie Hohler (Searcy, Ark.) reached on an infield single, driving in a run, and freshman Austin Gwatney (Sherwood, Ark.) finished off the stretch of hits with an RBI single of his own. Tech would get the last run of the inning on a Tate ground out to the second baseman which scored Houston.

        Josh Wesson was tagged with the loss for the Reddies as he was charged with all six Tech runs. His record fell to 1-3 on the season.

        The Wonder Boys and the Reddies will go at it again Sunday with one nine inning game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.  

-- Tech Athletics --