MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello (7-5, 6-0 GAC) won a Great American Conference doubleheader over Oklahoma Baptist (4-8, 1-5 GAC) on Saturday, winning by 13-9 and 16-7 scores.
GAME ONE
OBU struck first in the opening inning.
Quinn Johnson singled and later scored on
Zane Bennett's two-run base hit to give the Bison a 2-0 edge. UAM answered immediately with two runs of its own, then surged ahead with a three-run second inning to build a 5-2 advantage.
The Bison responded with their biggest frame of the day in the third. Bennett launched a three-run homer to center, part of a six-run outburst that also featured RBI knocks from
Jaxon McAuliff and Johnson, pushing OBU in front 8-5.
UAM chipped away from there. A two-run homer by Darcy Barry tied the game in the fifth, and Eli Marvin's two-run blast in the sixth gave the Weevils a 10-9 lead. UAM added three insurance runs in the eighth, highlighted by a two-run homer from Elijah Olaybal.
Bennett finished 3-for-5 with five RBI, while Johnson added three hits and two RBI for OBU. Marvin paced UAM with five hits and four RBI.
Bryce McGuire earned the win in relief, and
Logan Wade took the loss.
GAME TWO
The hosts used a pair of explosive innings to pull away from the Bison in a 16-7 victory in the finale.
The Weevils erased an early 1-0 deficit and broke open a tight contest with a nine-run fifth inning, handing the Bison their fifth conference loss of the season.
OBU struck first in the top of the opening frame when Johnson launched a solo home run to right-center. The Bison added three more in the third, highlighted by a two-run blast from
Keenan Morris and an RBI sacrifice fly by Bennett to even the score at 4-4.
After Arkansas-Monticello tied the game in the fourth, the Weevils erupted in the fifth. Marvin homered twice in the contest and drove in three runs, while Jackson Riedling added a three-run double in the decisive frame. Camden Tanner also connected on a three-run homer as part of a 16-hit performance for UAM.
OBU finished with 11 hits, including multi-hit games from
Tui Amosa and Johnson.
Lucas Schaefer added a solo home run in the sixth, and Bennett doubled home a run later in the inning.
Despite the offensive production, the Bison pitching staff allowed 16 runs on 16 hits, and UAM capitalized on five hit batters to keep pressure on throughout the afternoon.
The Bison will regroup and play next at Northeastern State on Feb. 24 in Tahlequah.
