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WEATHERFORD, Oklahoma - The University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team opened up a three-game Great American Conference series at Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday with a 2-0 win in the first game and a 3-1 loss in the second game.

In the first game, junior starter Zach McKnight, junior reliever Ben Aldridge and senior closer Jeff Harvill combined for UAM's first shutout victory of the 2015 season.

McKnight (2-1) earned the win after allowing just three hits in the first 6.1 innings with five strikeouts and five walks. Aldridge continued the streak of zeros on the SWOSU line score by giving up just one hit with two strikeouts in the seventh and eighth innings. Harvill came in for the ninth, did allow a pair of two-out hits, but induced a groundout from SWOSU's Bryant Holt to end the threat and record his second save of the season.



UAM's runs came in the seventh and eighth innings on RBI singles from redshirt freshman Brian Ray and junior C.J. Womack, respectively.

The Bulldogs (8-11, 5-6 GAC) returned the favor in the series' seven-inning game, plating a pair of runs in the third and an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to force a rubber match in Sunday's weekend finale.

UAM was limited to five hits in the loss, including its only run-producing at bat, an RBI single from junior Corey Wood in the top of the fifth inning. Wood finished the game 2-for-3.

Senior Austin Braddock (3-1) went the distance for the Weevils, surrendering three runs off six hits with one strikeout and two walks.

The series concludes on Sunday with a single nine-inning game starting at noon.