Arkansas Tech’s Gulf South Conference-leading hitting attack has been the key to its success so far during the 2010 baseball season.
On Saturday, that offense combined with two dominant pitching performances to give the Wonder Boys a pair of easy victories over Arkansas-Monticello.
Tech ace Josh Floriani tossed a three-hit shutout in game one and Caleb Powers threw a complete game in the nightcap as the Wonder Boys defeated the Boll Weevils 10-0 and 9-1 in a GSC twin bill at Weevil Field in Monticello.
With the wins, Arkansas Tech (21-9 overall, 4-1 GSC) moves into sole possession of second place in the GSC West Division standings.
Two UAM errors opened the flood gates for a four-run Tech rally in the top of the second inning in game one.
Joe Walton drove in a run with a single, Josh Riley delivered a two RBI single and Chad Wynn lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Wonder Boys a 4-0 lead.
That was far more run support than Floriani (7-0) needed. He struck out 11 over seven innings in a game that was stopped early because of the 10-run lead after seven innings mercy rule.
Riley was 2-for-4 with five RBIs in the game one victory.
Game two was more of the same. Matt Johnson scored on a passed ball and Colt Loehrs and Chris Reese had RBI singles to give Tech a 3-0 lead going to the bottom of the fourth inning.
UAM (17-12, 3-2) scored its only run of the day on a Drew Harper RBI single in the last of the fourth.
Arkansas Tech’s Powers (5-0) closed the door on any thoughts of a Boll Weevil comeback by only allowing one base runner the rest of the way.
Powers struck out five and allowed just three hits in the win.
Loehrs was 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the nightcap. Landon Sullins was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Walton and Johnson had two hits apiece. Johnson scored three runs.
The series finale, which was scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled due to inclement weather and poor field conditions.
The Wonder Boys will head to Pensacola, Fla., for a three-game non-conference series against West Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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