FORT SMITH, Ark. – Only an infield single stood between Brian Archibald and Tarleton history Saturday afternoon as the senior from Palmer twirled a one-hit shutout to snap Tarleton's six-game losing skid.
   
Tarleton suffered a shutout in the first game of the day, manufacturing only two hits in a 6-0 shutout to begin the series against the Lions. It was Tarleton's sixth consecutive loss.
 
Tarleton managed only singles from Jacob Walker and Tyler Parker while UAFS put up two in the third, fourth, and sixth innings to take the win. Ty Jones took the loss, allowing four runs on three hits while striking out seven in five innings of work. Jon Law pitched one inning of relief.
   
Tarleton answered back in a big way led by the career-best performance from Archibald on the mound to defeat the Lions 6-0 in Saturday's nightcap. Archibald was one, seventh-inning infield hit away from being the first Texan to throw a no-hitter since Brent Wachtman in 1997.
 
Archibald came out dealing by retiring the first nine batters he faced before a walk to the leadoff man in the fourth ended the perfecto bid. He bounced back to sit down the next three hitters to keep UAFS off the board and the no-no intact.
 
After striking out the side in the fifth, he surrendered another walk in the sixth but kept it rolling by getting the next three outs to head into the seventh with no hits allowed.
 
UAFS got their only hit of the game on a weak ground ball to third base, but Archibald battled back to keep the Lions off the board and preserve the shutout. He struck out seven in his complete-game effort.
 
Meanwhile, Tarleton's offense came to life beginning in the first when Law drove in two on a two-RBI single to left – bringing home Tyler Fowler and Colby Seltzer. Fowler and Seltzer provided another run in the fifth with back-to-back doubles for a 3-0 Tarleton lead.
 
Jacob Walker provided two more insurance runs in the sixth with a two-run single through the right side and Luke Morton drove in an RBI in the seventh to complete the scoring for Tarleton.
 
Fowler led the team with a three-hit performance while Seltzer, Blake Burns, and Law had two hits each. Walker, Parker, and Morton had one hit each to round out the 12-hit attack.
 
Tarleton and UAFS will resume the series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.