Weevils Run-Rule Harding for Series Win

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department

SEARCY, Ark. — The University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team recorded a 12-1, seven-inning victory over Harding on the road Sunday afternoon to secure a Great American Conference series victory for the Boll Weevils following a split on Saturday.

UAM (17-13, 9-9 GAC) scored three runs in the first, one in the third, four in the fourth, one in the fifth and three in the top of the seventh for its first-ever run-rule victory in a Great American Conference game. Harding (15-10, 8-7 GAC) scored one unearned run off two UAM fielding errors in the bottom of the sixth.

Senior starting pitcher Chris Guzman (1-1) tossed UAM’s second straight complete-game victory, allowing no earned runs off just four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in seven innings of work. It is Guzman’s first complete-game win of his UAM career. Guzman continued the streak of productive outings from UAM starting pitchers against Harding. The Boll Weevils only had to go the bullpen once during the three-game series. Starters Bobby Bryan, Logan Johnson and Guzman combined for 21.1 innings of work out of the 23 innings against the Bisons.

Guzman was aided by four of his teammates with at least two hits. Senior Hunter Allday went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, junior Ray Johnson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, junior Tyler Caruthers went 2-for-4 with a solo homerun and junior D’Marco Poindexter went 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Junior Ben Agredano went 1-for-4, but tied for the team-high in RBI with an RBI groundout in UAM’s three-run first and an RBI single in the fourth.

The Boll Weevils step out of GAC play for a mid-week double-header at home against LeMoyne-Owen College this Tuesday, March 26. First pitch is set for noon at Weevils Field.