WONDER BOYS USE COMPLETE GAME EFFORT FROM KARL WHITLEY
TO POST ROAD GSC WIN OVER CHRISTIAN BROTHERS

        MEMPHIS, Tennessee – Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys Baseball continued its hot play in Gulf South Conference action here Saturday by posting an 8-1 win over Christian Brothers at Buccaneer Field.

The win was Tech’s fourth straight in GSC play and improved its record to 17-20 overall and 5-2 in the GSC West Division. CBU fell to 7-18 overall and 0-4 in the GSC.

Tech’s offense collected 11 hits and scored a combined seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings and then used a complete game pitching effort by junior Karl Whitley (Tucson, Ariz.) to post the win. The complete game was Whitley’s second straight as he tossed a complete game in Tech’s 4-1 win last Saturday against Arkansas-Monticello.

The Wonder Boys opened the game’s scoring in the first inning as sophomore centerfielder Austin Gwatney (Sherwood, Ark.) led off the game with double and eventually scored on a wild pitch by Matt Lewis.

CBU answered Tech’s run in the third inning thanks to a hit, an error by Tech freshman shortstop Tyler Shaw (St. Mary’s, Ga.) and an RBI groundout by Josh Shelton.

In the fifth, the Wonder Boys broke the game open as they sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs off of seven hits. In the inning, junior rightfielder Clint Stroud (Bonham, Texas) and junior leftfielder Jeremy Houchin (Springdale, Ark.) each drove in two runs on a single and double.

 Tech added another run in the sixth when senior designated hitter Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) drove in Gwatney, who reached on a one-out fielding error by Shelton.

From that point, Whitley did the rest for the Wonder Boys as he scattered six hits, while walking two and striking out seven in improving his record to 4-4 on the season. Whitley ended the game retiring nine of the final 11 hitters he faced.

Gwatney, Sanchez and redshirt freshman catcher Landon Sullins (Harrison, Ark.) each recorded two hits for the Wonder Boys. In addition, Gwatney scored three runs in the win.

Lewis (0-4) took the loss for the Bucs as he tossed 4.2 innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs, while walking two and striking out four. Jeff Dove, the second CBU pitcher, pitched 4.1 innings and allowed one hit and one unearned run, while walking one and fanning one.

Alan Wright led the Bucs offense with two hits in four at-bats.

The two teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday, March 29, beginning at 12 p.m. The doubleheader can be heard live on the radio on KCAB (980 AM) and also on the internet at http://athletics.atu.edu.

          Christian Brothers Box Score

-- Tech Athletics --