A two-out top-of-the ninth grand slam from senior left fielder
Billy Howard got the 2026 Houston Winter Invitational and the new season off on the right foot for the No. RV Ashland University baseball team, resulting in a 9-6 win over No. RV Arkansas Tech on Friday (Jan. 30).
Howard's slam traveled 333 feet, and had an exit velocity of 93.3 miles per hour, according to MLB Baseball Savant.
The first run of the new year came in the top of the second inning, thanks to a two-out rally. Sophomore second baseman
Colton Hunt delivered an RBI single to score graduate right fielder
Chris Franks.
Arkansas Tech scored its first run of 2026 in the bottom of the second, unearned, then the Wonder Boys took their first lead with a three-spot in the bottom of the third.
Another run in the bottom of the fourth and one in the seventh put Tech up 6-1.
But then…
Senior pinch-hitter
Ryan Shimek's sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth pulled the Eagles to 6-2, then Howard, graduate shortstop
Collin Overholt and sophomore first baseman
Gage Weaver all followed with bases-loaded walks to make it 6-5.
All that set up Howard's top-of-the-ninth heroics.
THE FIRST-WIN HIGHLIGHTS
- Senior left-handed pitcher Seth Witt (1-0) earned the relief win after keeping Arkansas Tech at bay with four innings of three-hit, one run work. He struck out five and walked one.
- Graduate righty Chase Carter picked up the save after working a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth.
- Howard drove in five runs, and junior catcher Nate King went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in his AU debut.
- Ashland's 16 walks drawn on Friday are the most since taking 17 at home vs. Cedarville on March 22, 2016.
COMING UP
Game 2 in Houston on Saturday (Jan. 31) at 11 a.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Central vs. Alabama-Huntsville.
