SE Drops Both Ends of Twinbill to ATU

DURANT, Okla. – After a series opening shutout on Sunday, Southeastern found itself on the wrong end of a Monday sweep as Arkansas Tech took both ends of a double header, 16-3 and 10-8, at The Ballpark in Durant.
 
The losses drop the Savage Storm to 16-21 overall on the season and 11-13 in Great American Conference play heading into a scheduled three-game series against Southern Nazarene April 13-14 in Bethany, Okla.
 
In the finale, the first three hitters for the Storm collected singles and then with two outs Jett Swigart collected a bases-loaded walk to put SE on the board at 1-0.
 
Cade Clay followed with a two-run single to right a batter later and that was followed by a three-run home run by Harrison Whitworth to open up a 6-0 lead after one inning.
 
ATU answered in the top of the second with a pair of runs and added two more in the top of the fourth, two in the fifth and a single run in the sixth to erase the Storm lead and take a 7-6 advantage into the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
A two-out Caleb Dubler double got the Storm moving and two batters later an RBI single by Akins would plate Dubler to knot the game at 7-7 heading to the seventh.
 
The game would go to extra innings, with ATU putting up three runs in the top of the eighth to open up a 10-7 lead midway through the eighth.
 
Easton Elliott would drive in Dubler in the bottom of the eighth, but the rally would come up short in a 10-8 loss.
 
Dubler, Austin Ferguson, Akins, and Clay each collected two hits in the contest, while Whitworth drove in three on a homer, Clay added two RBI and Akins, Elliott, and Jett Swigart drove in one each.
 
Bryce Deatherage got the start and tossed 5.0 innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits with four K's in a no decision.
 
Jake Patterson and Collin Jameson combined on an inning of work, with Patterson allowing a run on two hits.
 
Hayden Grimes tossed the final 2.0 innings and took the loss after allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits.
 
In the opener, ATU put up runs in each of the first six inning, including three four-run innings.
 
Brett Akins had the first answer for the Storm with a two-run homer in the fourth inning and added a solo homer in the sixth to account for SE's three runs in the 16-3 loss.
 
Akins finished with two hits, both home runs, with a total of three RBI, while Travis Spinney, Easton Elliott, and Joseph Cerda each added a hit.
 
Greg Hubbell got the start and tossed 2.0 innings to take the loss after allowing seven runs, five earned, on six hits with two strikeouts.
 
Cody Johnson, Dallas Guerrero, and Brian Egan combined on four innings of work and were tagged with nine runs on seven hits with five walks.
 
Slayde Ortiz tossed the final inning and allowed a hit, but was the only Storm pitcher to not allow a run.