ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

ATHLETICS 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2008
Contact: Aaron Jones (479) 968-0645

TECH BASEBALL SWEEPS FRIDAY DOUBLEHEADER
AT ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO

        MONTICELLO, Arkansas – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys baseball team earned a pair of GSC victories here Friday over the Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils at Weevil Field.

Game 1 – Arkansas Tech 9, Arkansas-Monticello 2

        A three-run first inning homerun by Tech freshman designated hitter Jonathan Houston (Conway, Ark.) set the tone for the Wonder Boys as they took game one from the Boll Weevils 9-2.

        Houston, who finished with four RBIs in the contest, drove in Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) walk and Jantzen Black (Greenwood, Ark.) on his first career homerun.

        The Wonder Boys struck again in the fifth inning for three more runs, giving Tech starting pitcher Zach Weiss (Barnhart, Mo.) a comfortable lead to work with. Hayden Miller (Sherwood, Ark.) led off the inning with a bunt and advanced all the way to third on a throwing error by Boll Weevil third baseman Matt Gardner. Freshman outfielder Tyler Tate (Fort Smith, Ark.) then drove Miller in on a sacrifice fly to right field. Josh Holloway (Booneville, Ark.) then singled and would later score on a Black base hit. Houston then recorded his fourth RBI on the day as he doubled down the left field line, scoring Black.

        Weiss, who improved his record to 4-3 on the season, pitched seven innings allowing no runs on just two hits. Blake Bailey (Malvern, Ark.) came on in relief for the Wonder Boys tossing the final two innings. He allowed two hits, two runs, one earned while striking out one.

        Kyle Thaxton, whose record fell to 0-5 on the season, was tagged with the loss for UAM. He was guilty of allowing eight Tech hits, six runs while striking out five.

        Offensively, the middle of the order for Tech was very solid going 9 for 18 with six RBIs and seven runs scored. Sanchez was 3 for 4 with two runs scored; Black was 2 for 5 with an RBI and three runs scored; Houston finished 2 for 5 with four RBIs and a run scored and Jusin Bollig (Moore, Okla.) was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

Game 2 – Arkansas Tech 6, Arkansas-Monticello 1

          Tech pitcher Craig Cameron (Knoxville, Iowa) picked up his second straight win as he struck out five batters, allowed only one run on six hits in six innings of work to improve to 2-1 on the year.

        Tech pounded out nine base hits including a 1 for 4 day at the plate by Black, whose hitting streak was extended to 24 games. Black also drove in a pair of runs and crossed home plate twice himself in the contest.

        Houston continued his solid hitting as he had a hit with an RBI. Shortstop Robbie Hohler (Searcy, Ark.) also got into the act with a pair of hits and an RBI and Miller was also 2 for 4 with a couple of stolen bases.

        Freshman pitcher Josh Hathcox pitched four and two thirds innings giving up six hits and five runs in a losing effort for the Boll Weevils.

        UAM sophomore outfielder Craig Caldwell accounted for the Boll Weevils only run in the contest as he laced a homerun into left field in the bottom of the third inning.

        Tech, who is now 16-10 (5-0 GSC) on the season, will be back in action Saturday at 12 p.m. trying to complete the three game sweep of the winless Boll Weevils (0-22, 0-5 GSC) at Weevil Field in Monticello.

-- Tech Athletics --