CLEVELAND -- The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys overtook second place in the Gulf South Conference West Division by upsetting the No. 15 Delta State Statesmen in a doubleheader sweep Saturday at Ferriss Field.
The Wonder Boys (32-14, 12-4 GSC) won the doubleheader by scores of 12-2 and 6-5. The wins were Arkansas Tech's first over Delta State in four years and gave the Boys their first ever series win over the Statesmen.
The two teams needed extra frames to decide the second game, which was originally scheduled for seven innings. Tech loaded the bases in the ninth inning and was able to score the game-winning run on an infield error.
The Statesmen (31-12-1) fell into third place in the GSC West with an 11-5 conference record.
Josh Gordon hit a solo home run for the Statesmen in game two and went 3-for-5 in the game. Michael Niemann knocked three base hits and scored twice in the game.
Addison Rayford (3-1) pitched the final three innings for Arkansas Tech and got the game two win. Toby Easterly (1-2) absorbed the loss for the Statesmen.
Delta State's Jason Coats and ATU's Caleb Powers started the nightcap and pitched six innings apiece.
In the first game, the Wonder Boys got to Statesmen starting pitcher Trey Griffin early, scoring runs in the first and third innings before exploding for five runs in the fourth inning.
Tech plated an additional two runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth inning and took a 12-0 lead into the seventh inning.
The Statesmen finally got on the board in the last of the seventh when Will McGinnis singled home Michael Vinson. One batter later, Kyle Morris knocked a sacrifice fly that allowed Ricky Ware to score.
Arkansas Tech's Nos. 3 and 4 hitters led an assortment of Wonder Boys with multi-hit games, as Nick Makris and Clint Stroud collected three hits apiece. Cleanup hitter Stroud went 3-for-5 with four RBIs.
Vinson went 2-for-3 for the Statesmen, who saw their 13-game winning streak snapped.
Josh Floriani picked up the win for the Wonder Boys and improved his record to 10-1. Griffin fell to 5-3. The loss marked the first time the Statesmen have ever been "run-ruled" on their home field.
The two teams conclude the series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
