RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – After winning the opening Great American Conference game of the 2016 season on Friday, the Ouachita Tigers lost both games of a doubleheader to the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys on Saturday. Arkansas Tech defeated the Tigers 13-2 and 5-4.
Arkansas Tech (5-7, 2-1 GAC) took control of the first game early, scoring all 13 runs in the first four innings. Ouachita (3-8, 1-2 GAC) added one run in the second inning on the sacrifice fly by
Victor Draijer, and another in the fourth on a homerun by Draijer.
Tech recorded 17 hits in the win while holding Ouachita to just six.
John Franklin Matros started on the mound for the Tigers and was handed the loss.
Zach Gloff replaced Matros in the fourth inning, and
Jacob May pitched the final two innings for Ouachita without allowing a run.
In the second game, Ouachita scored in the top of the first inning on a two-out homerun by
Will Wallace. The Wonder Boys responded, however, with a run in the bottom-half of the inning to tie the game.
In the top of the second inning,
Drew Feuerbacher singled to left field and later scored on a double by
Ty Owens.
Austin White, who reached base on a single, also scored on the play to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. Arkansas Tech once again answered, though, this time with three runs in the bottom of the second to take its first lead of the contest.
The next three innings were scoreless for both teams, but the Wonder Boys extended their lead to two with a solo homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the seventh and final inning of the game, Owens led off with a homerun to cut the deficit to 5-4. Arkansas Tech recorded three consecutive outs following the homer, however, to end the game with the one-run victory.
Connor Reed spent 5.1 innings on the mound for the Tigers and fell to 1-2 on the season despite striking out four batters.
Lance Cullum and
Kason Kimbrell combined for two-thirds of an inning and zero runs allowed.
The Tigers posted eight hits in the loss, with Feuerbacher and Owens leading the way with two hits each. Owens also recorded a game-high three runs batted in.
Ouachita's next conference series will be at Rab Rodgers Field, beginning on Friday, Feb. 26. The Tigers will host Harding for a three-game series, with Friday's game scheduled for 2 p.m.