HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas -Trailing by a run in entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Arkansas Tech took advantage of two Northwestern Oklahoma State errors to score twice and win Bracket #2 of the 2026 Great American Conference Baseball Championships. The Wonder Boys will host East Central in a best-of-3 series starting on Friday.
Bracket 2, Game 6 - No. 2 Arkansas Tech 3, No. 6 Northwestern Oklahoma State 2 || Box Score ||
Trailing by a run heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Arkansas Tech baseball team came away with a walk-off win as they scored a pair of runs on an errant throw from the Northwestern Oklahoma shortstop.
The thrilling win completed a clean sweep through bracket two for the Wonder Boys and as Tech beat No. 7-seed Ouachita Baptist, 6-3 on Thursday, No. 3-seed Harding, 6-4 on Friday and now No. 6-seed Northwestern Oklahoma, 3-2 on Saturday.
The Wonder Boys scored first with a two-out single to right-centerfield by Drew Vega that scored Levi Martin from second base. Martin had led that inning off with a single to right.
In the ninth, Vega, the No. 9 hitter in the order, reached base on a fielding error by the NWOSU shortstop. Vega then got to third as Derek Rockett smashed a double that one-hopped the wall in right field.
With the tying run and winning run now in scoring position, the Rangers went to the bullpen for their closer. On his very first pitch, and with a drawn in infield, Cole Dawson hit a grounder to short. The Rangers' shortstop fielded the ball cleanly and then gathered to throw home to try and get Vega, who was off with the contact.
The throw by the NWOSU shortstop was off target and up the third base line and got by the Rangers' catcher, allowing Vega to score the tying run. Not too far behind Vega was Rockett, who also slid in safely, scoring the game-winning run for the Wonder Boys.
Full Arkansas Tech Recap
Northwestern Oklahoma State Recap
Bracket 1, Game 5 - No. 6 Northwestern Oklahoma State 9, No. 3 Harding 4 || Box Score ||
The Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball team defeated Harding, 9-4, on the third day of the Great American Conference tournament.
The game started out as a pitchers' duel, with neither side getting a hit in the first three innings. That quickly changed in the top of the fourth, when Chase Gordon drew a leadoff walk and Cole Barton blasted a home run over the left field wall to give Northwestern a 2-0 lead. Jailon Goodfellow kept the offense going by drawing a walk, with Matthew Bailey getting on base with another walk. Jason McCarty smacked a ball to second and reached on an error to bring home another run to extend the Ranger lead to 3-0. Alex Dabrowski got hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the Rangers could not add to the tally.
The Ranger bats stayed hot, as Gordon started the fifth inning with a solo shot to left to put the Rangers up 4-0, with Lindahl reaching on an infield single. Barton made it three straight hits for the Rangers with a single to left field, and Bailey crushed another home run to left to give Northwestern a 7-0 lead.
The Rangers earned their first win against Harding since 2024. Kyle Holzer threw his second straight complete game while striking out five for his fifth win of the season.
Full Northwestern Oklahoma State Recap
Harding Recap