Homer-happy Eutectics win AMC opener on Buxton's bomb

WALNUT RIDGE, AR – Extra-inning game-winning homerun in your inaugural conference game. What a way to open your first-ever slate of American Midwest Conference play! Caden Buxton drilled a go-ahead leadoff homerun in the top of the tenth inning that sent the Eutectics to an 11-10 triumph over the Eagles of Williams Baptist in a back-and-forth game in UHSP's first season of competition in the AMC.

Buxton's homer was one of three longballs that the Eutectics hit on the day. Jovonnie Bautista tied the game in the third with a three-run bomb to left that put UHSP on the board. That followed a three-run first for the Eagles capped by a two-run single by Tate Isaacs who drove in three on the day. Williams Baptist took a 4-3 lead with a run in the fourth coming on an RBI groundout from Skylar Morrison.

The Eutectics plated four in the top of the fourth. Nolan Harding delivered a two-run double to center that scored Jordan Gonzalez and Robert Uhlmeyer and put the Purple and Gold in front 5-4. Jovonnie Bautista followed with a double that scored Harding and Malcolm Merriweather singled to left-center to drive in Bautista and UHSP had a 7-4 lead. That chased Eagles' starter Jake Algee from the game after going three-and-two-thirds giving seven runs, six earned on nine hits with four strikeouts. Brevin Carlisle came on to get the final out of the fourth. After WBU scored on an RBI groundout in the home-half of the fourth, Ruben Ogando again made it a three-run game with a solo homer in the top of the fifth. But this one was a long way from over at that point.

The Eagles scored four in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 9-8 lead. Isaacs drove in his third run of the game to make it 8-6 and Tyrell Burnett doubled to right-center driving in two to tie that game at 8-8. After trailing by three twice, Cody Jones put the Eagles ahead on a sac fly and WBU led 9-8. UHSP starter Barrett Lohman finished out that frame, but was lifted for Holden Campbell to start the sixth. Lohman was touched for nine runs, five earned on eight hits, two walks and a strikeout. UHSP again took the lead in the top of the sixth when Ogando drove in Merriweather and Bautista with a double to left-center and the visitors were back up a run. Morrison had an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth that knotted things at 10-10. With Campbell and Carlisle on the mound for their respective clubs, things settled down at that point setting the stage for Buxton's dramatics to lead-off the tenth.

Campbell was magnificent in a wild affair as he picked up the win going four strong innings of one-run, one-hit baseball, fanning four and walking one. Carlisle had departed with one out in the eighth and Jolby Jones came on for WBU. Carlisle walked three and fanned four giving up three runs on five hits in three-and-two-thirds. Buxton's homerun was the only run that Jones allowed and one of three hits the reliever gave up. UHSP manager Rick Heines went to the pen and called on Brayden Steves to try and nail down the conference opening win. Steves tossed a clean bottom of the tenth, fanning the first two batters and inducing a groundout to third to seal the win.

It was a game where the UHSP bats overcame the defense as the club banged out 17 hits, but committed five errors. Six of the starting nine in the Eutectic lineup had multiple hits. Ogando was 3-for-4 along with a double, a homer and drove in three. Bautista was 2-for-4, scored three runs, drove in four and also had a double and a homerun. Uhlmeyer and Logan Stribling were each 3-for-5 with Uhlmeyer accounting for two of the five stolen bases for UHSP. Harding and Merriweather were each 2-for-5 with the former scoring and driving in a pair while the former scored a run and drove in one.

The weekend series continues between the two clubs on Saturday when they meet for a doubleheader that gets underway at 11:00am for game one. After the three-game series with the Eagles (15-6, 0-1), the Eutectics (6-8, 1-0) make a return trip to the State for a pair on Tuesday at Arkansas Baptist before a single game on Wednesday at Philander Smith. UHSP will host Central Baptist next Friday for their first ever AMC home conference contests.