SHAWNEE – A walk-off win via error in game two helped Oklahoma Baptist complete a three-game sweep over Arkansas Tech on Saturday in Great American Conference play. The green and gold improved to 14-13 and 10-8 in the GAC after 7-4 and 2-1 victories over the Wonder Boys.
The Bison moved into sole possession of fifth place, and two games out of second, in the GAC with the results.
GAME ONE
OBU's defense was sensational in the opening contest. In fact, it turned four double plays, including the game-ender in the ninth from
Ramon Gomez.
Well before that though, ATU got ahead. With two out in the second, a full-count walk was issued to Sam Stephenson which led to back-to-back RBI singles from Ommar Jackson and Kandon Bennett.
Trailing 2-0, the Bison quickly shook off the deficit in their next plate appearances. The home half of the second saw three straight hits from
Alex Schroeder,
Kade Self and Gomez. The last of those, from Gomez, was a liner to center which scored his two teammates.
After
Brek Galbreath retired the side in the third, OBU went in front for good.
Isiah Lissade and
Walker Keller delivered singles before
Dan Pruitt tripled to center after ATU's defender misread the ball. That hit scored two and gave OBU a 4-2 lead. Schroeder added a run-scoring single before crossing home on an error a bit later. That made the tally 6-2.
ATU added single runs in the fourth and fifth frames, but its offense never erupted. Galbreath had a lot to do with that as he struck out four and induced a combined 12 groundouts and flyouts.
Plus, in the eighth and ninth frames, Gomez turned a pair of 4-6-3 double plays.
GAME TWO
Schroeder turned into the hero in the series finale. Before the eighth frame, pitchers from both teams were impressive.
For OBU,
Will Duncan tossed a season-high four innings and added a season-best six strikeouts. He allowed just one hit as well.
In that time, the Bison got one run courtesy of Self, who drove in Pruitt on a two-out single in the fourth.
The other dugout saw Shane Scott control the Bison bats. In five frames, he fanned seven, allowed that one run and got four groundouts and three flyouts.
ATU was able to tie the game in the sixth. With two out, Stormy Taylor pinch-hit and blooped a shot into no-man's land in right field with two Bison defenders hustling to get the ball. That hit scored Trace Maddux who had singled to start.
The Wonder Boys in the seventh and eighth frames added a total of five base runners in scoring position. However,
Garrett Kellogg-Clarke and the OBU defense would get a couple grounders to end those threats. Remarkably, by weekend's end, ATU had left 30 runners stranded.
Then in the eighth, OBU got the win. A lead-off single to
Brandon Brewer started that half-inning before Lissade moved him over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Keller then moved Brewer to third on a hard-hit grounder to second.
After an intentional walk to Pruitt, Schroeder sent another ground ball, this time to short. What followed was a bobbled ball with Schroeder reaching first and Brewer scoring.
Next on the schedule is a non-conference game on March 29 at 5 p.m. against East Central.
