Box Score WICHITA – The Jets clinched their bid to the conference tournament on Friday afternoon with a walkoff victory in game one, defeating Arkansas Fort Smith 10-9 in the first half of a doubleheader.  Fort Smith battled back and took advantage of four Newman errors in the second game to win 8-6.  Tyler Bugner, Ricky Sanchez, and Mitchell Beaudreau all had four hits on the day, and Jordan Ollenberger had six RBIs in the split. 
 
Game 1: Newman 10, Arkansas Fort Smith 9
The first game of the doubleheader was one for the ages, displaying a back-and-forth battle that saw seven lead changes before Newman walked off in the eighth inning.  The Jets also had a season-high three home runs in game one.  The Jets threatened immediately, and in an unusual twist did not manage to score in the bottom of the first despite a triple and a double in the inning.  Tyler Bugner led off with a triple to left center, but wound up getting doubled off third after Mitchell Beaudreau scorched a ball up the middle that the pitcher snagged and whipped to third to nail Bugner.  Ricky Sanchez promptly doubled to left center, but the next batter popped out as the first inning ended with a scoreless tie. 
 
Fort Smith broke the tie in the top of the fourth, when the leadoff batter singled and advanced over to third on a wild pitch, then scored on an infield single.  Newman responded in the home half of the inning though, as Kyle Johnston smashed a home run to right field to tie the game up 1-1.  Fort Smith would retake the lead in the top of the sixth, playing small ball to get a man into scoring position and getting a two-out RBI single from Koby Chadick to take a 2-1 lead.  Newman was again equal to the task though, and scored two in the bottom half of the sixth to take their first lead of the game.  Ricky Sanchez led off with a line drive single to right, then advanced twice on wild pitches to put himself at third with nobody out.  Sanchez would then trot home as Andrew Standish launched a home run into the trees behind left center, putting Newman ahead 3-2 going into the final inning of the shortened seven-inning game. 
 
The Lions were not having any of that though, and put up a six-spot in the top of the seventh with some unorthodox scoring tactics. Fort Smith loaded up the bases to start the inning, but did not get a ball out of the infield in doing so.  The leadoff batter reached on a swinging bunt to third base, and the next batter laid down a bunt and reached safely when the pitcher's throw to second pulled Jarrod Flax off the bag.  The next batter laid a perfect sac bunt down the third base line, with the ball stopping directly on the foul line as the Jets tried to let it go foul.  The next batter worked a 3-2 walk, and the Lions had tied the game up 3-3 without getting a ball out of the infield.  Two more errors and a couple of bleeders through the 5-6 hole later, the Lions had taken a commanding 8-3 lead going into the final frame.  The Jets were keen to respond though, and loaded up the bases themselves to start the inning with two walks and a single.  Ricky Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice to third base, which scored a run and made it 8-4.  Andrew Standish worked a seven-pitch walk, which loaded the bases and set the stage for Jordan Ollenberger.  Ollenberger wasted no time in getting the Jets back in the game, launching a 1-2 pitch over the right field fence for a game-tying grand slam and his first career home run as a Jet.  The next two batters grounded out to end the inning, and the game went to extras tied at 8. 
 
The first batter for the Lions worked a walk, and a wild pitch and two singles later, he crossed the plate and gave Fort Smith a 9-8 lead.  Newman again came from behind though, with Jarrod Flax providing the spark in the bottom of the inning to get the offense rolling.  Flax reached on an error with one out, then swiped second base to put the tying run in scoring position.  Tyler Bugner then knocked his fourth hit of the game, a line drive single to left, scoring Flax and allowing Bugner to get all the way to third when the ball squirted under the left fielder's glove.  Mitchell Beaudreau took the clutch hit baton, sending a 1-1 fastball over the drawn-in right fielder to allow Bugner to trot home with the winning run, and clinching the Jets' place in the conference tournament in the process. 
 
Game 2: Arkansas Fort Smith 8, Newman 6
The Lions again struck first in the game, getting ahead early and holding on to win the second game, which was shortened to seven innings after game one went to extras.  After back-to-back singles to lead off the top of the second, both runners scored on a bunt that the pitcher tossed up the right field line, putting the batter at third with nobody out and making it 2-0 Fort Smith.  The next hitter singled up the box to score the run, and the Jets came to bat in the bottom of the second trailing 2-0.  Newman threatened but couldn't score, and Fort Smith put up two more in the top of the third to take a 5-0 lead. 
 
The Jets figured it out the second time through the order though, with Tyler Bugner working a one out walk and advancing to third on a hit and run with Mitchell Beaudreau.  Ricky Sanchez then bounced a single through the four-hole to score Bugner and get the Jets on the board.  Jordan Ollenberger again provided a clutch hit for the Jets, lacing a double up the right field line to score both runners and cut the Lions' lead to 5-3.  Alex Lator then doubled up the left field line for his first hit of the day, scoring Ollenberger and bringing the Jets within one.  That was as close as Newman would get though, as Fort Smith took advantage of three Jet errors to score three unearned runs in the top of the fourth to take an 8-4 lead.  The Jets got four hits in the bottom of the fourth, with Mitchell Beaudreau blasting an RBI triple to right center and Ricky Sanchez punching his second RBI single of the game through the left side to make it 8-6.  Fort Smith's bullpen held strong though, holding the Jets hitless over the final three innings to secure the 8-6 win. 
 
The split puts Newman at 23-26 on the year, but the Jets are 16-13 in conference and, more importantly, clinched the third place seed in the Heartland Conference tournament next weekend.  Because UTPB was swept today by Lubbock Christian, they are now tied with Fort Smith for the fourth spot in the tournament as they are both two games behind the Jets at 14-15.  Zak Mickens will don the blue-and-pinstripe look tomorrow afternoon on Senior Day for the rubber game of the series, seeking his eighth win of the year and fourth in the past month.  First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. back at McCarthy Field.