Arkansas Tech University racked up 47 base hits during a three-game sweep of East Central University in Great American Conference baseball at Ada, Okla., on Friday and Saturday.
The Wonder Boys (21-13 overall, 17-4 GAC) maintained sole possession of second place in the conference standings. They are two games behind first-place Southern Arkansas University (26-6, 19-2) with four weekends remaining in the regular season.
Arkansas Tech will host Southeastern Oklahoma State University for a three-game GAC series at Tech Field in Russellville on Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.
Radio station KARV 101.3 FM/610 AM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage.
Game One: Tech 11, ECU 7
Marcus Wilson went 3-for-6 with a home run and three runs batted in to lead Arkansas Tech to an 11-7 win over East Central in the series opener on Friday.
Cody Wescott and Seth Wheeler added two RBIs apiece for the Wonder Boys.
ATU starting pitcher Kyle Wilson (5-0) struck out six batters over five and two-thirds innings on his way to earning the win on the mound. He was charged with seven runs on 11 hits.
Branden Bohuslav came out of the Wonder Boys’ bullpen to hold the Tigers scoreless over the final three and one-third innings and earn his second save of 2017.
Game Two: Tech 10, ECU 2
Geoffrey Birkemeier carried a shutout into the seventh and final inning as he pitched Arkansas Tech to a 10-2 victory against East Central in Friday’s second game.
Birkemeier (5-3) allowed two runs on six hits while striking out four in a complete-game victory.
Wilson, Zach Klockowski and Parker O’Dell notched two RBIs each for the Wonder Boys.
Game Three: Tech 15, ECU 6
A 10-run outburst in the top of the eighth inning allowed Arkansas Tech to overtake East Central and complete the series sweep with a 15-6 win on Saturday.
The Wonder Boys trailed 5-1 after seven innings, but they notched seven hits and took advantage of two errors by the Tigers in the top of the eighth to claim an insurmountable 11-5 lead.
ATU finished with a season-high 18 base hits, its most in a single game since it had 20 hits against Southwestern Oklahoma State University on April 11, 2015.
Kyle Love went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Wonder Boys. Wescott also hit a home run and drove in three runs. Dylan McDearmon, Kyle Gibbs and Mark Vaughn contributed two RBIs apiece.
ATU reliever Quentin Bowling (1-0) pitched three and one-third innings to collect the win.
