Box Score (html)
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – SWOSU's
Cooper Cantwell tossed a complete-game, two-hit effort as the Bulldog Baseball team concluded their series with Arkansas-Monticello by defeating the Boll Weevils 6-1 on Saturday at the Athletic Complex.
Both pitchers started out controlling the game and SWOSU struggled to get their bats going as five of their first six batters to the plate struck out. In the third inning,
Robert Perea drew a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position on a single by
Kannon McCune before coming across to score on a double steal attempt.
Alex Pimentel stepped to the plate and delivered a two-out RBI double to center, scoring
Alex Bedard, who reached on an infield bunt single, and SWOSU led 2-0 after three.
Pimentel reached on an error his next at-bat and moved over to third on a bunt single from
Tanner Long before scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Rafael Villela. UAM scored their lone run in the top of the seventh inning, turning a leadoff single into an unearned run that scored on a Bulldog error.
Leading 3-1 entering the eighth, SWOSU put the game away with three runs on three hits in the inning while also taking advantage of one error by the Weevils. Long had an RBI hit in the inning, then scored later in the inning on UAM's error. Cantwell worked around a pair of errors in the top of the ninth inning and closed out the complete-game when his defense turned a double play.
SWOSU's top four batters in the lineup combined for six of the team's nine hits on the day, with Pimentel and Long each going 2-for-4 at the plate.
Kannon McCune also had a two-hit day to help the Bulldogs add some pop at the bottom of the lineup.
Cantwell (3-1) tossed his second complete game of the year, holding UAM to two hits and one unearned run while striking eight Weevil batters.
SWOSU improves to 8-8 on the year with the win while moving back above .500 in GAC play at 5-4. Next up for the Dawgs is a non-conference midweek game at USAO, which will be played on Tuesday evening in Chickasha.
