ADA, Okla. – The East Central University baseball team claimed its Great American Conference series against Harding University on Saturday at Ken Turner Field, earning a pair of one-run victories in a doubleheader. The Tigers walked off the opener 7-6 before holding off the Bisons 7-6 in the finale to secure the big series win.
 
With the sweep, ECU improves to 6-9 in GAC play while Harding drops to 9-6. This marks the Tigers' first series win over Harding since 2016, and the first time they've taken back-to-back games from the Bisons since 2014.
 
GAME 1 | ECU 7, HU 6
In game one, Harding built an early lead with runs in the second, third, and fifth innings to take a 3-0 advantage. But the Tigers began to chip away in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Akers delivered an RBI single to score Mason Shimkus. ECU added another run in the inning with a groundout to cut the deficit to 3-2.
 
The Tigers grabbed their first lead in the sixth inning when Pryce Jackson launched a two-run home run to left field, bringing home Joey Allen and putting ECU in front 4-3.
 
Harding answered late, tying the game in the eighth before plating two runs in the top of the ninth to reclaim a 6-4 lead.
 
ECU had one final response in the bottom half of the inning. After putting runners on base, Joey Allen delivered the biggest swing of the game, ripping a three-run double to right field that scored Ryan Strickland, Christian Fernandez, and Tyler Akers to complete the walk-off comeback and give the Tigers the thrilling 7-6 victory.
 
Joey Allen paced the ECU offense, going 3-for-5 at the plate and delivering the game-winning three-RBI walk-off double. Pryce Jackson followed with two RBIs, while Tyler Akers added one RBI for the Tigers.
 
Ryan Dembroski got the start for the Tigers, tossing five innings while allowing three runs and recording two strikeouts. Andrew Black provided a strong outing out of the bullpen, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four to keep ECU within striking distance. Evan Groh earned the win in relief, pitching the final two innings as the Tigers completed the walk-off comeback.
 
GAME 2 | ECU 7, HU 6
In the second game of the doubleheader, ECU struck first in the opening inning. Tyler Akers crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from Max Tremblay to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
 
Harding responded with a run in the third and another in the fourth to take a 2-1 advantage before ECU answered in the bottom of the fourth. DeAngelo Morales delivered a clutch two-RBI single through the left side, bringing home Pryce Jackson and Joey Allen to put the Tigers back in front, 3-2.
 
The Bisons regained the lead in the fifth inning with three runs to move ahead 5-3, but ECU once again had an answer. Akers blasted a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fifth to trim the deficit to one.
 
The Tigers took control in the sixth inning. Trace Necessary launched a two-run homer to left center to put ECU back on top, and the Tigers added another run later in the inning off a Harding error to extend the lead to 7-5.
 
Harding pushed across a run in the seventh to cut the margin to one, but ECU held on down the stretch to secure the 7-6 victory and complete the doubleheader sweep.
 
DeAngelo Morales and Trace Necessary each drove in two runs to lead the Tigers offensively, with Necessary highlighting the effort with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Tyler Akers and Max Tremblay each added an RBI, while Donovan Noble and Ryan Strickland recorded two hits apiece to help pace ECU at the plate.
 
Caleb Peek got the start for the Tigers, tossing four innings while allowing two runs and striking out four. Cooper Ewing worked in relief before Holden Conner earned the win with 1.2 innings on the mound, recording four strikeouts. Zane Wilson closed out the game to secure the save for ECU.