ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's baseball team hosted Northwestern Oklahoma State University for its three-game GAC series, defeating the Rangers 9-6 in the opening game at Ken Turner Field.
 
The win lifts ECU to 8-28 overall and 3-19 in conference play.
 
NWOSU kicked off the scoring in the first, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on one hit and one Tiger error.
 
ECU quickly responded, though, adding runs of their own in the home half to take hold of the lead.
 
With two outs and the bases loaded, Nick Blankenship's timely bunt single sent Duncan Key to score at home for the first run before Dawerlyn Amancio drew a bases loaded walk, and Tanner Collins singled up the middle to bring in Christian Whitaker and Michael Rosario for the 3-2 advantage.
 
The Rangers pressed on in the top of the second inning with a 2 RBI double to reclaim the lead 4-3, but the Tigers answered back once again in the home half.
 
Cooper Hunt and Key led off the second with back-to-back walks followed by a bunt single from Whitaker that quickly loaded the bases. Then, Britton Sperry hit one to the right field to drive in Hunt and Key before Michael Rosario's sacrifice fly plated Whitaker for the 6-4 lead.
 
After surrendering another run in the third, ECU starting pitcher Ian Mason settled in to keep NWOSU scoreless for three straight innings, giving the Tiger offense an opportunity to take control of the game for good.
 
In the fourth, ECU would extend their lead to 8-5 after a 2 RBI double from Collins scored Amancio and Blankenship.
 
The Rangers added one more run in the seventh to close the gap to within two, but an RBI single from Sperry in the home half added an extra insurance run for the Tigers and secured the 9-6 series-opening win.
 
Ian Mason picked up the win, pitching eight innings and giving up six runs on seven hits and striking out four.
 
Carson Thomas got the save, coming in the last inning and only allowing one hit.
 
Tanner Collins led at the plate, going 4-for-5 while adding three RBI's. Duncan Key, Christian Whitaker, and Britton Sperry had two hits apiece, while Cooper Hunt, Nick Blankenship, and  Dawerlyn Amancio had one.
 
The East Central University baseball team will finish the series with Northwestern in a doubleheader tomorrow, April 8 at 12 p.m.