WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Conference play is off to a slow start for the SWOSU Baseball team, who suffered a pair of defeats, 10-8 and 8-0, on Saturday, and surrendered a three-game sweep to East Central.
East Central 10, SWOSU 8Box Score A high-scoring affair broke out in the opener on Saturday as the teams combined for 18 runs on 27 hits, but East Central prevailed after building a six-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. SWOSU scored first on a two-run single from Zack Barton in the first inning, scoring
Dalton Daniels and
Christian Perez for a 2-0 lead.
East Central evened the game at 2-2 with two runs on two hits in the third before going ahead in the fifth on a pair of RBI hits.
Nolan Barrientos and
Bryan Holt added RBI singles for SWOSU in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game, but SWOSU left two runners on base, a trend that would come continue throughout the game and haunt the Bulldogs.
The Tigers preyed on the SWOSU bullpen, scoring six runs on eight hits in the final three frames to build a 10-4 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth. SWOSU had their chances as well, however, leaving two runners on in the seventh inning and three in the eighth before breaking through offensively in the ninth inning.
SWOSU again loaded the bases in the ninth and came through with
CJ Faddis scoring on a balk before a two-run single from Perez plated
Cole Wagner and Holt.
Greg Bruno then scored Perez on a sacrifice fly before Barton was called out on a low strike three call to end the game.
Jon Chidester (1-2) pitched well for 6.1 innings but was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits. Chidester recorded seven strikeouts and walked just one batter before being relieved by
Ben Schweifurth and
Travis Leverett for the final 2.2 innings.
East Central 8, SWOSU 0Box Score The Bulldogs woes turned defensive in the second game as SWOSU committed four costly errors, allowing East Central to score three unearned runs over the course of the game. At the plate, the Bulldogs were also limited to three hits, with a double from Faddis proving to be their only extra-base hit.
ECU scored two runs in the second inning to take the lead before scoring in each of the final four frames to extend their lead and claim the sweep in shutout fashion.
Taylor Weifenbach (0-1) went 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks before
Austin Hilton and
Ethan Davis closed out the game from the bump.
SWOSU falls to 2-8 on the year and drops to 0-3 in Great American Conference play heading into a three-game set at Southeastern Oklahoma State next Friday and Saturday in Durant.
