Conway, Ark.- The Warriors hosted Belhaven University and Millikin University in a weekend round-robin tournament. They began play with a doubleheader on Friday afternoon, securing two big wins against a talented Belhaven team. Here's a look at the lines from the weekend:
Game 1: Andrei Stoyanow toed the rubber for the Warriors and gave the team 4 innings of one-run ball while allowing 3 hits. The Warriors' offense jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning that they did not relinquish for the rest of the game. Stoyanow was followed up by relievers Cade McWilliams and Miles Schluterman who combined for the last 5 innings of the ballgame, only allowing the Blazers to tack on one run.
Joseph Watts accounted for two of the three Warrior RBIs with a towering drive over the right field fence in the bottom of the second inning. The third run was plated by a Hogan Ralston double to left-center in the bottom of the third inning. Along with Ralston, Adam Bland and Rail Gilliam cashed in extra-base hits. Bland and Freshman infielder David Ripple were good for two hits apiece in this game. The Warriors won this contest 3-2
Game 2: The second game of the day ended in walk off fashion for the Warriors who were down 7-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning. Bryson Bales squared off against Belhaven's ace Brett Sanchez. Bales surrendered 4 runs (1 earned) in three innings of work. Jackson Corrigan and Nathan Silva threw one inning each in relief of Bales. John Henry Fowler was dominant in the last four innings of play. Fowler notched his first win of the season in relief.
At the plate, the Warriors struggled with runners in scoring position early against Sanchez but found their groove in the latter half of the game. The Warriors drove in 8 runs on 10 hits while drawing 8 walks. Austin Rabago and Zach Marriott accounted for a pair of RBIs each. Rabago also collected 3 hits (one 2B) and scored twice. David Ripple went 3-4 and scored twice. Ripple also hit into the error that plated Austin Rabago to win the ballgame 8-7.
Game 3: On Sunday, David Blackburn made the start for the Warriors against Millikin's Matt Wilson. Blackburn took the loss, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) in three innings pitched. Some defensive miscues hurt the Warriors: of the 10 Millikin runs scored, only 5 were earned. Ethan Thomas, Bobby Fowler, and Tucker Isbell shut down the Millikin bats in the last four innings of the game.
The Warriors only notched 8 hits while drawing 9 walks, but they struggled to put the pieces together, not scoring after the home half of the first. Adam Bland had his second multi-hit game of the weekend with one of his hits being a double. Austin Rabago hit a double as well. Zach Marriott plated the Warriors' two runs on a triple to centerfield. The final score was 10-2 in favor of Millikin.
