SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist left no stone unturned as it won Sunday's Great American Conference doubleheader over Arkansas Tech at Bobby Cox Field. OBU won by scores of 7-5 and 5-4 and improved its record to 9-2 and 3-0 in the conference.
Next weekend, the Bison will head to Harding, a team with a 9-1 record and 3-0 league mark.
Game One
Spencer Dickinson helped turn a 5-4-3 double-play in the eighth as the Bison held off the Wonder Boys. That play by OBU's third baseman came when the visitors had bases loaded and were down just a single run.
Before then, the home squad attained a 6-1 advantage after four innings.
Jayden Shafer and
Jaden Wiley each brought in runs in the first and second before the Bison notched two more in the third. In that inning,
Will Joseph and Dickinson connected on back-to-back hits that plated a pair. At that point, OBU led 4-1.
Fourth-inning action saw a clutch, two-run single by Shafer. That hit to left center plated Wiley and
Camron Grant and moved the scoreboard to 6-1.
On the mound,
Nolan Feazle tossed six frames, allowed just two earned runs and fanned seven, a season-high. The senior also induced nine fly-ball outs as the Bison got ahead.
Later in the game, in the seventh specifically, Arkansas Tech benefitted from a few wild pitches and passed balls. That allowed them to cut the deficit to 6-5.
Down the stretch though, newcomer
Bryant Thornton shut down the Wonder Boys bats. He tossed the final 2.1 innings, didn't allow a hit, fanned two and earned his second save of the season. He also got out of a two-out, bases-loaded situation in the seventh with a strikeout.
Game Two
Grant, playing in right field, came up with another top-tier defensive play for the Bison. In the sixth, and with bases loaded, Grant raced into the deep corner in right and stole a would-be extra-base hit by Christian Olea. He dove to make the catch and it kept ATU off the scoreboard when the hosts led 5-3.
Midway through the seven-inning contest, the Bison trailed 3-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth. That's when OBU broke through against Wonder Boys pitcher Emiliano Mata.
Joseph singled up the middle with one out and a couple batters later, Dickinson singled to right center and plated OBU's centerfielder. That brought the tally to 3-2. Then, shortstop
Jacob Campbell smoked a 2-2 pitch to center. It was a three-run blast, Campbell's third bomb of the year, and it moved OBU in front 5-3.
Defensively,
Ryan Turbeville earned his second save of the year. He tossed the final two frames and gave up just a run. Starter
Cameron Pool improved to 3-0 on the year as he pitched five innings, allowed three earned runs and struck out five. Pool also induced seven ground-ball outs.
Leading the way offensively was
Isiah Lissade who recorded two hits.
