UAM tops Rangers in series on the road
The University of Arkansas at Monticello totaled 32 runs in a Friday baseball doubleheader to win a Great American Conference series over Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Okla.
UAM totaled 16 hits for the game and scored 7 runs in the eighth inning to break a tie in a 17-8 victory, then scored 7 in the fourth inning of the second game en route to a 15-13 win. Northwestern won 15-9 on Saturday, ending a 5-game winning streak for UAM.
In all, 23 home runs were launched in the series by both teams, including 7 on Saturday.
The Boll Weevils (22-18, 18-9 Great American) led the conference standings after Friday’s sweep. Saturday’s loss knocked them a half-game behind Arkansas Tech University for the lead with six conference games remaining.
Friday’s opener saw a combined 7 home runs. Aidan Garrett smashed 3 of them, all of them 2-run shots, and finished with 3 runs for the Weevils. Chaz Poppy homered twice and totaled 4 RBI and 3 runs.
Kirk Woolf, Poppy and Garrett each had 3 hits in the win.
Hagen Barcello hit a 3-run jack and Colby Grace lined a 2-run shot in the Northwestern third.
Connor Irvine struck out 5 and allowed 7 earned runs on 8 hits in the first 4 innings for UAM, but Jacob McDaniel came on for 2 hitless innings and earned the win.
The Rangers tried to respond in the second game with 7 runs in the second inning to take a 7-4 lead. Momentum switched to the Weevils’ favor in the fourth with another homer each for Poppy (3-run) and Garrett (2-run).
Camden Tanner hit a 2-run single as well in that inning. Tanner homered in the second (3-run) and in the ninth (solo) as part of a 9-homer display by both teams.
Cade Cancilla (2-run) for UAM and Barcello (solo, 3-run), Paul Sachen (grand slam), Trevor Saire (2-run) and Grace (solo) for Northwestern all homered.
Nelson Mercado struck out 11 and held the Rangers to no runs and 2 hits in 5 innings for the win.
Most of the offense in Saturday’s finale occurred within the first 4 innings, with the Rangers leading 12-8.
Tanner (3 for 4, 3 RBI) sent 2 solo homers over the fence, Poppy got the Weevils on the board with a 3-run jack in the first and Cole Cripps delivered a 2-run smash in the third.
Chad Green’s 2-run homer in the first was part of Northwestern’s 6-run outburst in that inning. Saire hit a 3-run homer in the second and Sachen solo-homered to right in the fourth.
Maxim Mrakovcic was charged with 11 earned runs on 12 hits in 3 2/3 innings of his start to take the loss.
Colby Mitchell won despite allowing 9 earned runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
UAM will play a nonconference game at Henderson State University on Tuesday.
ALSO ON THE DIAMOND
Southeast Arkansas College (18-27) began a baseball series against Louisiana State University Eunice on Saturday night in Pine Bluff and will resume it with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. today.
UAM (19-22, 11-12 Great American) started a softball conference series in Monticello against Northwestern Oklahoma with a Saturday doubleheader. Northwestern won the first game 10-2, and the second was ongoing at the copy deadline.
The series will conclude with a single game at 11 a.m. today.
CHEER
UAM finishes fifth in nation
In Daytona Beach, Fla., the UAM cheer team finished the NCA College Nationals in fifth place overall Saturday after placing fifth through Friday’s preliminaries.
The Cheer Weevils performed in the Intermediate Small Coed Division II. UA-Fort Smith placed first and Southern Arkansas University came in 12th.
“This team went all-in today and they placed fifth in the nation out of 20 incredibly talented teams,” UAM Coach Julie Barnes said. “I am so proud of the hard work they have put in. The sky is the limit on what we can do to move this program forward to the next level. The work starts now for next season.”