WONDER BOYS DROP GSC DOUBLEHEADER AT FIFTH-RANKED SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

         MAGNOLIA, Arkansas – The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys Baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to fifth-ranked Southern Arkansas here Saturday afternoon at Mulerider Field.

The Muleriders won the series opener 15-2 (Box Score) in seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule and then took the nightcap, 9-4 (Box Score).

          Tech, who entered the game on a six-game GSC winning streak, saw its record fall to 19-22 on the season and 7-4 in league play, while SAU improved to 31-7 overall and 10-1 in the GSC.

          In the first game, the Muleriders scored 15 runs on 10 hits in game one, including two grand slam homeruns. The first grand slam came in the second inning off the bat of Andrew Whittington giving SAU a 5-0 lead.

          Tech would score its first run on a RBI single by senior designated hitter Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) in the third inning making the score 5-1.

          SAU added two runs in the fourth and one in the sixth, extending their advantage to 8-1.

          Freshman shortstop Tyler Shaw (St. Mary’s, Ga.) led off the seventh inning with a solo homer to make the score 8-2, but the Muleriders closed out the game with a seven-run seventh inning, including a grand slam by James Schroeder.

          Junior Karl Whitley (Tucson, Ariz.) took the loss to fall to 4-5 on the season, as he allowed eight runs, including three earned runs, on seven hits, with five walks and four strikeouts in five innings of work.

          Hayden Simpson (7-1) went the distance to earn the win on the mound for the Muleriders, surrendering two runs on seven hits, while walking three and fanning six.

          Sanchez went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Wonder Boys at the plate. SAU was led offensively by four RBIs apiece from Whittington and Schroeder, while Cannon Lester added three RBIs.

          In the nightcap the Muleriders picked up where they left off, scoring three runs in the first inning off of sophomore starter Caleb Powers (Dover, Ark.).

          Tech answered with a three-run homer by junior designated hitter Nick Shoptaw (Benton, Ark.) to tie the game 3-3 in the second inning.

          The Muleriders retook the lead in the third inning on an solo homer by Lester.

          The Wonder Boys evened the score once again on a RBI single by senior first baseman Robbie Hohler (Searcy, Ark.) in the fourth inning.

          But Tech would manage no more runs the rest of the way as SAU added a pair of runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to set the final score.

          Powers (3-2) was saddled with loss, allowing six runs, five earned, on six hits, walking three and striking out six in 3.2 innings of work.

          Matt Speake (4-0) allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings of relief to earn the win for the Muleriders. Speake had no walks and six strikeouts in the game.

          Junior leftfielder Joe Walton (Inola, Okla.) went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead Tech offensively, while Hohler, Shoptaw and junior second baseman Josh Holloway (Booneville, Ark.) all added a hit for the Wonder Boys.

          Whittington went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and a run scored to pace SAU’s offense.

The two teams will conclude the three-game GSC series on Sunday at 2 p.m.

-- Tech Athletics --