ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

ATHLETICS 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 19, 2008
Contact: Aaron Jones (479) 968-0645

TECH BASEBALL DROPS GSC DOUBLEHEADER AT #6 DELTA STATE

        CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys baseball team dropped a Gulf South Conference doubleheader to the #6 Delta State Statesmen Saturday afternoon at Dave ‘Boo’ Ferris Field by the scores of 17-3 and 7-3. With the losses, Tech’s record fell to 21-19 overall and 8-8 in conference play. Meanwhile, Delta State improved to 36-8 overall and 14-1 in league play.

Game 1 - #6 Delta State 17, Arkansas Tech 3

          The sixth ranked Statesmen proved why they are ranked just that as they jumped to an 11-0 lead in the first three innings before eventually stretching their lead as far as 17-0 before Tech catcher Jeremy Houchin (Springdale, Ark.), who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fifth, hit a three-run homerun off of Statesmen pitcher Clint Marcott in the top of the seventh inning.

          Kenny Smalley picked up the win for Statesmen, improving his record to 7-2 on the year. He pitched six shutout innings of one hit ball while striking out four. Zach Weiss (Barnhart, Mo.) got the loss for Tech. His record now stands at 4-5 this season.

          Leading the way offensively for DSU was Clay Sartain who had three RBIs. Hunter Jobes and Rickey Noland each hit homeruns for the Statesmen, their ninth and 12th big flies of the season. Left Fielder JT Taylor was 2 for 3 at the dish with three RBIs of his own and third baseman Chris Clark was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

Game 2 - #6 Delta State 7, Arkansas Tech 3

          Tech was much more competitive in game two, but ultimately DSU pitcher Korey Cunningham was in control as he picked up the win to move to 7-1 this season. Cunningham hurled a complete game while only allowing three Tech runs on seven hits while striking out three and walking none. Tech senior Craig Cameron (Knoxville, Iowa) was saddled with the loss after the righter pitched 4 1/3 innings giving up four runs on seven hits.

          The Statesmen took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jobes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Steven Oswald, who had also reached base after being hit by a pitch, scored.

          Tech would respond and tie the game in the top of the fourth when Tyler Tate (Fort Smith, Ark.) doubled to the left center field gap which scored Justin Bollig (Moore, Okla.) who reached base on a single.

          The Statesmen came right back in the bottom half of the inning and got three runs of their own. Taylor hit a three-run blast which plated Oswald and Anthony Palasini.

          Jantzen Black (Greenwood, Ark.) then made some noise in the top of the fifth when he launched a two-run homerun to left field, his fourth of the season, which scored Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) who had just singled.

          DSU would then put the game out of reach via the long ball in the bottom of the sixth as Devin Goodwin hit a two-run shot, his 12th of the season, and Noland hit his 13th homerun of the season, a solo shot to left field.

          Tech and the sixth ranked Statesmen complete their three-game series tomorrow with a single nine inning game scheduled for 2 p.m.

-- Tech Athletics --