Alva Review-Courier -

WEATHERFORD, OKLA. – The East Central University baseball team split the final two Great American Conference games of the series at Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Tigers (4-12, 4-5 GAC) first fell 1-3 and then rallied to claim an 8-3 win in the series finale.

ECU was led by senior Jake MeKeel, who hit .571 for the day, with two runs, four hits and three RBIs. Junior Connor Stevenson added a .429 average on three hits, one run and an RBI.

Junior Brandon Dusenberry picked up the win on the mound, throwing a complete game, allowing six hits and three runs and striking out eight.

The Tigers will now return home after a two-week absence to face Northwestern Oklahoma State, March 10-11 at Ken Turner Field.

SWOSU 3, ECU 1

The Bulldogs (8-9, 4-5 GAC) got on the board quickly, scoring a run in the bottom of the first and adding a run in the second and third for the 0-3 advantage.

The teams then buckled down on defense, with no more runs coming across for either team until the eighth inning.

The Tigers finally got on the scoreboard when junior Dalton Etheredge was walked and senior Jake MeKeel hit a double to left center for the 1-3 score.

ECU fought through the end of the ninth inning, getting the bases loaded, but they were unable to plate a run for the 1-3 final.

ECU 8, SWOSU 3

The Tigers took control in the first inning, taking a 1-0 advantage. MeKeel started the game by drawing a walk, Connor Stevenson singled and the pair were sent to second and third on a wild pitch. That allowed redshirt junior Josh Reeves to earn an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.

SWOSU responded with a run in the top of the second to tie the score at one each.

ECU regained the lead in the fourth on doubles from junior Kade Hayes and MeKeel for the 2-1 lead.

The Bulldogs then tallied two in the fifth to take their first lead of the game, 2-3.

It looked like that would be how things would end, until the top of the sixth inning when the Tigers rallied to score six runs for the 8-3 advantage.

Hayes started the inning by drawing a walk and was sent to third on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt by senior Kodiak O'Ravez. Etheredge kept the inning going with a walk and the first run was scored when MeKeel singled to left.

Connor Stevenson added a run with a single to left and the bases were then loaded when senior Kaleb Matthews walked. That allowed Reeves to earn an RBI with a single and junior Austin LoBue to claim an RBI by drawing a walk.

The final two runs were scored by a single to center by junior Wesley Carswell.

The Tiger defense then held strong through the seventh, only allowing one base runner for the 8-3 win.