SHAWNEE – It's a must-win series for Oklahoma Baptist (18-21, 11-16 GAC) when it hosts second place Arkansas Tech (25-18, 19-8 GAC) this weekend at Bobby Cox Field. Game one comes April 18 at 4 p.m. before a Sunday, April 19 doubleheader with first pitch at 1.
OBU sits in tenth place and is two games back of Northwestern (22-22, 13-14 GAC) who is currently holding on to the eighth and final spot for GAC Tournament.
The Bison lead the all-time series with the Wonder Boys 20-15 and have won three of the last five series, including one in the 2023 GAC Tournament. Below are notes and tidbits on both squads.
For the Bison:
The green and gold have lost eight of the last 10 games after being swept at Harding on April 10-11.
The primary reason for the struggles: pitching. Over the last 10 contests, OBU's staff has produced an ERA of 12.46 and allowed opponents to hit .369 with 22 homers.
OBU has two of the top four hitters in the GAC in terms of average.
Tui Amosa sits in second (.417) while
Matt Marsic checks in a fourth with a .411 average. Amosa is also fourth with a .757 slugging mark and is second with 17 doubles.
Also of note,
Lucas Schaefer, Amosa and
Braden Smith all sit inside the top-10 of the GAC in homers. Each have at least 10 bombs. Only one other school has three players with at least 10 homers, Southeastern.
Collectively, the Bison's .337 batting average is first in the GAC and No. 18 in Division II. The team is also seventh in the country with 101 doubles and No. 16 with 56 homers. Furthermore, OBU ranks eighth in the nation with a .560 slugging mark.
On the mound,
Marcus Peters' 10.53 strikeouts per nine innings is the No. 2 total in the conference and 50th nationally.
For the Wonder Boys:
ATU has won 10 of its last 15 games after sweeping Southern Nazarene last weekend.
They boast the second-best pitching staff in the GAC in terms of ERA at 5.11. Arkansas Tech is also 11th in the nation and first in the conference with four shutouts. Plus, the Wonder Boys have the top fielding team in the GAC – and No. 13 in D2 – with a .975 fielding mark.
On the mound, Cole Dickson and Creighton Jacobitz are each ranked seventh nationally with 11 games started. For Jacobitz, his 3.61 ERA is good for eighth in the GAC.
Eric Woodley is having a fine season too, posting seven saves. Those are top-five in D2 and tops in the GAC.
Offensively, though, Tech is 11th in the league with a .271 batting average and 10th in hits (361) and homers (25).
Individually, ATU has some quality batters. Drew Vega's nine sacrifice bunts lead the conference and check in at seventh nationally. He also is fourth in the GAC averaging one strikeout every 11.9 at-bats. Teammate Derek Rockett's 12.5 strikeouts every 12.5 ABs is slotted No. 2 in the league.
Kirby Jenkins' 47 RBI leads the Wonder Boys as well.
