Streak Pushed To Eight With Two Close Wins

After recently joining the Central Region rankings, the Southwestern Oklahoma State University baseball team treated the home crowd to a pair of exciting contests on Friday afternoon, defeating Arkansas Tech by scores of 3-2 and 2-1.

SWOSU 3, Arkansas Tech 2

The Bulldogs had to walk-off to victory in the first game after surrendering a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning. JR Head lead off the ninth with an infield single, his third hit of the game, and came around to score on an RBI single to right field by Kale Thaxton.

SWOSU got 11 hits in the game and forced the Wonder Boys into committing four errors as they lead almost throughout the game. Head scored on one of those ATU errors in the first inning and Zack Mang put the Bulldogs other run on the board with a sacrifice fly in the third.

Calyn Young started and pitched strong for the Bulldogs for 8.0 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, although only one was earned. Three pitchers combined to pitch the ninth, with Kevin Kelly picking up the win, improving to 2-0 on the year.

SWOSU 2, Arkansas Tech 1

Arkansas Tech got three hits in the top of the first inning, pushing one run across to take an early lead, but it was Head who got SWOSU back even with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning.

Both offenses were unable to capitalize much the rest of the way, but SWOSU did get another run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Dan McCleer that scored Cooper Chambers.

Cole Stephens picked up the win for SWOSU after going 5.0 innings and allowing five hits and one run. Stephens, who improves to 4-3 with the win, was relieved by Earl Jenkins for the final two innings.