ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

ATHLETICS 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2008
Contact: Ben Greenberg, SID (479) 968-0645

WONDER BOYS POST HOME WIN OVER HENDERSON STATE, EARN WEEKEND SWEEP OVER REDDIES TO OPEN GSC PLAY

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys Baseball used solid pitching and a first inning home run from junior third baseman Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) to post a 3-1 win here Sunday over Henderson State to complete a three-game sweep over the Reddies in Gulf South Conference action at Tech Field.

Tech, who improved to 14-10 overall and 3-0 in the GSC, opened the game’s scoring in the first inning on Sanchez’s third home run of the season off of HSU starter, Richard Weatherford.

          The Wonder Boys pushed its lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning on a run-scoring triple to right field by freshman first baseman Jonathan Houston (Conway, Ark.), which plated senior catcher Justin Bollig (Moore, Okla.). Bollig had reached on a two-out single to right field, which snapped Weatherford’s string of retiring nine straight Wonder Boys.

          Tech’s two runs would prove to be enough as senior hurler Brad Green (Cabot, Ark.) along with freshman reliever Caleb Powers (Dover, Ark.) and junior Blake Kastl (Fayetteville, Ark.) combined to allow just five singles in nine innings of action.

          HSU, who fell to 15-14 overall and 0-3 in the GSC, finally dented the scoreboard in the seventh off of Powers as the Reddies picked up two hits and scored a run on an RBI groundout by Brad Cobb.

          In the bottom of the seventh, Tech added an insurance run off of HSU reliever Jonathan Dooley. In the inning, junior shortstop Robbie Hohler (Searcy, Ark.) reached on a single, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a single by freshman rightfielder Tyler Tate (Fort Smith, Ark.).

          Kastl came into the game in the eighth and retired the Reddies in order over the final two innings to earn his first save of his Wonder Boy career.

          Green (2-1) earned the win as he tossed six innings and allowed three hits and no runs, while walking five and striking out two. Powers pitched one inning and allowed two hits and one run, while walking one and striking out none.

          Meanwhile, Weatherford (1-1 on the season) took the loss as he scattered four hits and allowed two runs, while walking two and striking out three. Dooley pitched the final two innings and allowed two hits and one run.

          For the game, six Wonder Boys recorded a hit and three Wonder Boys scored a run, while HSU was paced by two hits from Robert Gilbert. In addition, HSU left 10 runners stranded and Tech left five on base and the Wonder Boys stole three bases.

          Tech will step out of GSC action for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 18, when they host Augustana [SD] at Tech Field. The first pitch is slated to begin at 2 p.m.

          Henderson State Box Score

-- Tech Athletics --