Astros in Action D-II Invite wraps up on Day 4

HOUSTON -- The Wonder Boys lived up to their nickname on Monday, and in the process, Arkansas Tech won its first game in four tries at the inaugural Astros in Action Division II Invitational at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros.

Arkansas Tech (1-3) was the last of the eight teams in the field to win, routing Emporia State, 12-4, behind a 16-hit attack that featured six doubles, two Cesar Abreu triples and a home run from Cole Fergus.

Abreu was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs as the second baseman continued his solid hitting. Abreu concluded the tournament 7-for-16 with three triples. Abreu, Thomas Biocic and Scott Sammons doubled for the Wonder Boys, as did the Johnsons -- Josh, Zac and Jay.

The hitting explosion made a winner out of Danny Parker (1-0), who was staked to a comfortable 8-2 lead through three innings. The left-hander allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

Eric Dawson and Luke Slagle had two hits each among Emporia State's seven knocks. Hornets (1-3) starter Andrew Polly (0-1) took the loss, lasting only 1 1/3 innings and allowing five runs.

Central Missouri rallies to defeat Arkansas-Monticello

HOUSTON -- Just as it appeared Arkansas-Monticello might escape a seventh-inning jam, Kyle Grieshaber of Central Missouri smashed a two-run home run into the Minute Maid Park Crawford Boxes in left field.

Grieshaber's decisive home run -- his second in the Astros in Action Division II Invitational -- lifted the Mules to a 2-1 win over the Boll Weevils, the fourth-ranked Mules' third straight win in the four-day tournament that concluded on Monday.

Grieshaber's homer off Eddie Smith (0-1) scored Dusty Maas, who reached base on a fielder's choice. Central Missouri's Jon Cotter had opened the last of the seventh with a walk and advanced to third on Smith's two-base throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Smith then got Samuel Domingue out on a weak popup to third. The next batter, Maas, hit a ball to third baseman Taylor Eaves that resulted with Cotter being out in a rundown for the second out.

Arkansas-Monticello's fortunes were looking better after the rundown. But Grieshaber's second homer of the season-opening tournament changed that and helped make reliever Jake Heissler (1-0) the winning pitcher. Central Missouri (3-1) starter Marshall Dean allowed only one run and three hits in six innings.

The Boll Weevils (1-3) took a 1-0 lead in the third as D'Marco Poindexter's double scored Chad Miller. Boll Weevils starter Kenny Marshall pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits.

Texas A&M-Kingsville uses big fifth to top Abilene Christian

HOUSTON -- A seven-run fifth inning propelled Texas A&M-Kingsville to an 8-5 win over Abilene Christian on Monday that concluded the Astros in Action Division II Invitational at Minute Maid Park.

The Javelinas (3-1) sent 12 batters to the plate in the fifth. The big blows were a two-run double by Chris Ballou and a two-run single by Dustin Aguilar. Ben Villafuerte added two RBIs and Clint Wallace scored twice for the Javelinas.

Taylor Taska (1-0) went 3-for-5 and picked up the win in 3 1/3 innings of relief. Wildcats starting pitcher Austin Palmer (0-1) got the loss.

Abilene Christian's Travis Schuetze went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, but Denver Diefenbach struck out Schuetze swinging with two runners on base to end the game. Kyle Giusti had two hits for the Wildcats (2-2), who left 13 runners on base.