WONDER BOYS RALLY TO POST NON-CONFERENCE HOME WIN
OVER UNIVERSITY OF OZARKS

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys Baseball concluded its non-conference slate of games here Tuesday evening by plating three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to collect a 3-1 victory over the University of the Ozarks at Tech Field.

          Five Tech pitchers combined to hold the Eagles to a single run on five hits. Freshman Cody Hatman (Roland, Okla.) and senior Josh Floriani (Malvern, Ark.) each pitched two innings to hold the Eagles hitless through the first four frames.

The Eagles’ first hit came in the fifth on a leadoff double by Chris Driedric off of sophomore Jordan Gomez (Murphy, Texas), the third Tech pitcher of the game. Driedric would later score the game’s first run on an RBI single by Jeremy Hogan.

U of O southpaw Travis Conner held the Wonder Boys bats at bay, allowing just four hits through the first seven innings, before junior catcher Tyler Kellar (Morrilton, Ark.) led off the eighth inning with a sharp single to right. Kellar advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman shortstop Tyler Shaw (St. Mary’s, Ga.), moved to third on a groundout by junior centerfielder Chad Wynn (Bono, Ark.) and scored when senior second baseman Josh Holloway (Booneville, Ark.) laced a single to left field to even the game at 1-1. Tech increased its lead to 3-1 thanks to a bloop 2-run double by junior rightfielder Clint Stroud (Bonham, Texas).

The Eagles managed to load the bases off right-hander Karl Whitley (Tucson, Az.) in the ninth, before Whitley forced Cory Brings to ground into a game-ending fielder’s choice to earn his second save of the season.

Senior hurler Barrett Davis (North Little Rock, Ark.) tossed four scoreless innings to earn the win and improve to 3-3 on the season. Davis allowed just two hits, while walking none and fanning four.

Conner (2-2) was strapped with the loss, allowing three runs, two earned with two walks and three strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work.

Holloway led the Wonder Boys offensively, going 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

Tech will close out its regular season with a three-game Gulf South Conference series against Harding this coming weekend at Tech Field. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m., before concluding the series with a 1 p.m. regular season finale on Sunday. The game will mark the home finale for Tech’s five seniors – Davis, Holloway, first baseman Robbie Hohler (Searcy, Ark.), pitcher Tyler Mattox (Conway, Ark.) and third baseman Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas).

University of Ozarks Box Score

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