Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 RUSSELLVILLE, ARK. – The East Central University baseball team picked up two wins over a ranked opponent with a 9-1 win in the opening game of the day and a 7-3 win in game two over No. 17 Arkansas Tech in Great American Conference action.

The Tigers (8-9, 4-5 GAC) were led by junior Andrew Ayrado, who hit .600 for the day, with three hits, two runs scored and three RBIs.  Senior Josh Lavender added a .429 average, a single, double, home run and five RBIs.

Junior Oscar Gomez earned the win in the first game of the day, throwing eight innings.  Gomez allowed five hits and just one run, while striking out five.  Junior Icezack Flemming picked up the win in the second game, with a complete game.  Flemming allowed nine hits and three runs, while strikeout four.

ECU will play a non-conference road game at Oklahoma Christian, Tuesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. before returning home to Tiger Field for a GAC series with Harding, March 7-8.

Game 1 – ECU 9, ATU 1
The Tigers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, tallying one run in the top of the first.  Lavender hit a lead-off single to left field and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Garrett Donohoe.  Junior David Terrazas earned the RBI with a single up the middle after the first out.

ECU added three runs in the top of the second.  Senior Ethan Gold led off with a single to short and was advanced to second when junior Casey Chenoweth reached on an error.  Ayrado sent the run home when he reached on an error.  The first out was recorded and then the bases were loaded when Lavender walked.  That allowed two runs to score when Donohoe and junior Nick Spini were each hit by a pitch.

The Tigers pushed the lead to 7-0 after the top of the fifth with three more runs.  Gold hit a one-out single to center and was advanced to third on a double to center by Chenoweth.  Ayrado then hit a sacrifice fly to center for the first run.  Junior Ariel Adut reached when he was hit and two runs scored when Lavender hit a double to right field.

The Wonder Boys (12-5, 4-2 GAC) earned their lone run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, for a 7-1 ECU lead.

The Tigers added the final two runs in the top of the eighth.  Junior Luc Pomales hit a single to right and was sent home on a home run to right field by Gold for the 9-1 final.

Game 2 – ECU 7, ATU 3
ATU came out ready to fight in game two scoring a run in both the bottom of the first and second innings for a 0-2 lead.

However, the Tigers responded with six runs in the top of the fourth for a 6-2 lead.  Terrazas was hit, Pomales singled and Gold was walked to load the bases.  Chenoweth was then hit by a pitch to score the first run and keep the bases loaded.

Ayrado then hit a single to second base that allowed one run to score.  Adut then hit a sacrifice fly to center for the second run.  The final three runs were scored on a home run to right field by Lavender.

ECU added another run in the top of the fifth for a 7-2 advantage.  After two outs were recorded, Gold reached on an error and Chenoweth was hit again.  Ayrado then earned the RBI with a single to right field.

ATU made a push in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one run for the 7-3 final.