In no way did the University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team forget how to win in the clutch.
Three days after scoring on an errant throw in the 11th inning to eliminate Oklahoma Baptist University, the Boll Weevils scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the ninth for a 3-2 win over archrival Southern Arkansas University in the bracket stage of the Great American Conference tournament at North Little Rock’s Dickey-Stephens Park.
The top-seeded Weevils (30-21) advanced to play either No. 2 Arkansas Tech or No. 3 Harding – the two teams they shared the Great American regular-season championship with – at 11 a.m. Friday in the winners’ bracket final for a spot in Saturday’s championship round. Fifth-seeded SAU (30-19) will take on the Tech-Harding loser at 3 p.m., with the winner taking on the loser of the 11 a.m. game in the losers’ bracket final at 7 p.m.
Chaz Poppy was hit by a pitch, Chase Cripps walked and Cade Cancilla was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Aidan Garrett then flied out to left field, allowing Poppy to score the winning run.
SAU had tied the game in the top of the ninth on a Chris Lyles one-out RBI single.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Both teams struggled to clear the bases – UAM left 13 on base and SAU nine – and were scoreless through five innings. The Muleriders struck first when Jaden Woolbright hit a home run to left with two outs in the sixth.
UAM responded in the seventh when Kirk Woolf’s single drove in DeShaun Cordova. The Weevils went ahead in the eighth when Camden Tanner hit an RBI single to score Garrett.
Nelson Mercado (4-3) struck out two and allowed a run on two hits in the final two innings for the win. Starter Charles Peacock held the Muleriders to a run on five hits in six innings and struck out three. Jacob McDaniel kept SAU scoreless in the seventh.
Hayden Oglesby (2-4) took the loss after allowing the winning run on base. He was one of five SAU pitchers and the second of three in the ninth inning.
HARVEY, TANNER WIN SUPERLATIVES
The GAC named UAM’s John Harvey Coach of the Year and outfielder Camden Tanner Freshman of the Year.
Harvey, the 14th-year Weevils’ skipper, won his 500th career game earlier this season and helped UAM win a share of the regular-season conference title.
Tanner was batting .409 going into the final week of the regular season. He also scored 50 runs, slapped 14 doubles and hammered 13 home runs among his 72 hits. His slugging percentage was .710 and his on-base percentage stood at .507.
UAM junior pitcher Connor Irvine was named to the All-GAC first team. Irvine is 8-1 with a 3.73 ERA and struck out 77 batters in 82 innings.
Junior reliever Mercado and junior shortstop Garrett were named honorable mention. All-Defensive Team members from UAM were junior catcher Poppy and junior first baseman Cancilla.
UAM right-hand pitcher James McCormick was named an Elite Scholar Athlete Award winner. Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award winners from the Weevils include left-hander Tyler Bribiescas, first baseman Cancilla, catcher Noah Estrem, Garrett, Irvine, outfielder William Jones, righty Donald Miller and infielder Luke Schonauer.