ADA, Okla. – The East Central University baseball team hosted rivals Southeastern Oklahoma State University for the first two games of the final Great American Conference series of the 2023 season, dropping game one 11-5 before falling 8-4 in game two at Ken Turner Field.
 
Southeastern opened up the scoring in game one with a single run for a 1-0 lead, but ECU quickly responded in the home half after a sacrifice fly from Dawerlyn Amancio tied the game 1-1.
 
Kyle Busker got the first hit of the game for both squads in the bottom of the second with a single to left field. Ian Mason then doubled to right center to advance Busker to third before Nolan Herchock's hit to left drove in Busker. Britton Sperry followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Mason and take the lead 3-1.
 
Southeastern picked up the momentum in the top of the fourth, exploding for three runs on four hits and one Tiger error to regain the lead at 4-3, but ECU answered back.
 
In the home half, Nick Blankenship led off with a walk, followed by a double to left from Busker, and a Southeastern balk scored Blankenship to knot the game 4-all. Then, Mason's single to center field allowed Busker to cross home plate and regain the lead 5-4.
 
After a quiet fifth inning, Southeastern took back the lead once again, tabbing three runs on three hits to go up 7-5.
 
The Tigers couldn't come up with any answers while the Savage Storm continued to add insurance runs in the eighth and ninth inning, which eventually brought the final score to 11-5.
 
Bryan Terry took the loss on the mound throwing 7.1 innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits, and striking out four. Kaleb Dent came in relief, going 1.2 innings while giving up three runs on two hits.
 
Ian Mason went 3-for-4 at the plate while Kyle Busker went 2-for-4, and Nick Blankenship, Nolan Herchock, and Britton Sperry picked up one hit.
 
Southeastern wasted no time getting on the board in game two, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead on four hits.
 
ECU picked up a run of their own in the home half, though, after Cooper Hunt scored to cut the lead 4-1, but the Tigers would add more runs on the scoreboard until the sixth inning.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, ECU dug deep to find momentum after an RBI from Dawerlyn Amancio, Kyle Busker, and Ian Mason tied the game 4-4.
 
However, the Savage Storm pulled away the next frame to double their lead which proved to be too much for the Tigers to come back from, and Southeastern would sweep the day with an 8-4 game two win.
 
Clayton Solomon took the loss on the mound despite a strong 6.1 innings of work, giving up two runs on five hits.
 
Cooper Hunt, Duncan Key, and Britton Sperry had two hits apiece, while Dawerlyn Amancio and Ian Mason had one.
 
The East Central University baseball team will play their last game of the 2023 season at Ken Turner Field tomorrow, April 29 at 1 p.m. Baseball will honor their seniors at 12:45 p.m. before the game.