SEARCY, Ark. – The East Central University baseball team opened their Great American Conference series against Harding with a doubleheader on Saturday. Despite a slow start in game one, where they dropped an 8-1 decision, the Tigers fought hard in the second game but fell just short in a tough 4-3 loss, resulting in a doubleheader defeat.
ECU will look to bounce back and claim the series finale tomorrow at 1 p.m.
GAME 1 | ECU 1, HARDING 8
Although the Tigers outhit the Bisons 8-7 in the opener, they could only manage one run while Harding capitalized with eight, scoring one in the first, two in the second, four in the fourth, and one in the sixth to secure the win.
ECU's lone run came in the ninth inning after
Max Tremblay and
Blake Seefeldt were hit by pitches, and
Pryce Jackson singled to load the bases.
Kale Williams then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the Tigers' only run. However, they couldn't capitalize further, and the game ended with an 8-1 loss.
Justin Smith started on the mound, going 4.1 innings, allowing seven runs on six hits while striking out five.
Cameron Ebert came in for 3.2 innings of relief, limiting Harding to just one run and one hit.
Weldon Sherrell,
Blake Seefeldt, and
Mason Shimkus each contributed two hits.
GAME 2 | ECU 3, HARDING 4
Game two was a much tighter contest, with Harding only taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and ECU responding in the third.
The Tigers sparked a two-out rally, starting with back-to-back singles from
Weldon Sherrell and
Zac Carroll, followed by a double down the left-field line from
Max Tremblay to score Sherrell and tie the game at 1-1.
Blake Seefeldt then delivered a two-RBI single to center field, plating Carroll and Tremblay to give ECU a 3-1 lead.
Harding answered in the next inning with a two-run homer to level the score at 3-3. Despite having a base runner in both the sixth and seventh innings, ECU couldn't capitalize, and the Bisons took the lead in the fifth with a sacrifice fly, which turned out to be the deciding run.
Ezra Gustafson started and allowed just one run on two hits after the first inning.
Nate Windle came in for the final five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits in the loss.
Sherrell and Carroll each had two hits, while Seefeldt contributed two RBIs.