Wonder Boys drop Sunday doubleheader at Oklahoma Baptis

SHAWNEE, Okla. – The Arkansas Tech baseball team finished their first Great American Conference series of the season on Sunday with a doubleheader at Oklahoma Baptist. Tech would fall in both ends of the twin-bill as Oklahoma Baptist secured the series sweep.

GAME ONE
In the opener, Oklahoma Baptist jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but the Wonder Boys responded with the tying run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sawyer Duddleston.

The Bison regained the lead in their half of the second with a single run scoring on a fielder's choice. Two innings later, Oklahoma Baptist was up 6-1 after scoring twice in the third and fourth innings. The Wonder Boys got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth on the strength of a solo home run to left field by Markos Cabranes.

In the seventh, the Wonder Boys pulled within a run as they scored three runs on three hits. That inning started with Duddleston drawing a walk. Cabranes followed with a single through the left side. Both Duddleston and Cabranes would advance 90-feet during the next at-bat on a wild pitch. After an out was made, Duddleston scored on a passed ball. Cabranes scored soon thereafter on a wild pitch.

Grant Jones then drew a walk and promptly went to second on another wild pitch. Two batters after Jones' walk, Nick Jones singled up the middle to drive in G. Jones. A single by Keaton Ranallo and a hit-by-pitch to Logan Schwenke loaded the bases for the Wonder Boys, but the Bison were able to escape the inning without further damage.

In the top of the eighth, the Wonder Boys threatened again with the potential tying run at third with no outs, but were held off the board as the Bison got an inning-ending double play to preserve their lead.

After dancing out of that jam, the Bison scored a run of insurance in the bottom of the eighth and then retired the side in order to end the first game of the day.

The Wonder Boys used three pitchers in that game with Jack Rector starting and Mason Willis and Simon Murray making relief appearances. Rector and Willis went 3.0 innings each while Murray handled the final 2.0 innings. Murray was the most-effective arm of the game with five strikeouts and one run allowed.

GAME TWO
The second game of the day saw Oklahoma Baptist jump out to another early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but this time, Tech's response in the top of the second gave them the lead as they scored twice.

The first run scored in the inning was off a single to left field off the bat of Brendyn Bard. Scoring on the Bard RBI knock was Shane Poe, who had led off the inning with a single to center and then swiped both second and third base to set up Bard. Later in the inning Bard would score on a sacrifice fly by Markos Cabranes.

Cabranes then added a run to the Wonder Boy total in the fourth with a single to center, scoring Cole Dawson, who singled and stole second earlier in the frame.

Unfortunately, the Bison struck for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take 5-3 lead. The big blow of the inning was a three-run home run for Oklahoma Baptist.

The Bison would not score the remainder of the seven-inning game and Tech was able to get one run closer in the top of the seventh on a one-out solo home run by Logan Schwenke. The Wonder Boys then got the tying run in scoring position on a double down the third base line by Shane Poe. Poe would get to third on a groundout, but was stranded there as the Bison got the final out needed.

UP NEXT
The Wonder Boys will return home and prepare for a home non-conference game on Tuesday afternoon against Southern Arkansas. First-pitch for the game is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Baswell Field. It will also be the first of a five-game homestand.