Tuesday, March 17
Walk-Off Win Pushes Mavs Past No. 14 Longhorns
ARLINGTON, Texas - Playing on the big stage of Globe Life Park against No. 14 Texas failed to phase UT Arlington as the Mavericks took down the Longhorns in a 6-5 walk-off victory in 10 innings on Tuesday night.
"It was a good environment tonight with a lot of people," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "We played a great club and I have a lot of respect for those guys. I'm just proud of our guys and we finally got one."
The Mavericks (10-7) played in front of a UTA record crowd of 4,123 people in the thrilling game against the Longhorns, who dropped to 13-8 on the season.
With the two teams trading shots through the first seven innings of the game, UT looked poised to escape Arlington with a victory. The Longhorns put together a three-run ninth inning that was culminated with a triple to right center field that brought in a pair of runs and put Texas on top 5-2.
The Mavericks opened up the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back singles by Matt McLean and Travis Sibley, but looked to be in trouble with the bases loaded and two outs. Enter freshman Will Olson who pinch hit for the Mavs with the game on the line. Olson entered the midweek game batting .111 with two career hits. After getting ahead in the count 3-1, the Sherman native took the fourth pitch of the at-bat and sent it through the right side to bring in two runs and send the game to extras.
"I was just waiting for my opportunity to help this team out and I got it," Olson said. "I got a fastball to hit and I didn't miss it."
After senior pitcher Colin Tornberg laid the Longhorns down in order in the top of the tenth, UTA got off to a fast start in the inning as Christian Hollie sent the ball to the left-field corner for his second career triple. With the bases loaded and one out on the board, a wild pitch allowed a hustling Hollie to score from third to end the game.
Eric Tate was outstanding in the UT Arlington victory as the senior infielder went 4-of-4 at the plate with one run and one RBI. Helping Tate spur the Mavs offense was the duo of McLean and Sibley, who both went 3-of-5. McLean scored a pair of runs, while Sibley notched one run.
"Even getting an opportunity to play here and against those guys, it's great," Tate said. "It's a dream come true. I couldn't be more proud of the team. These guys fight and I love the team."
On the mound UTA used a bevy of pitchers in the game as six made their way onto the mound from the bullpen. Tornberg picked up his first win of the season, while striking out two batters in his one inning.
After a difficult start for starter Reid Petty, Daniel James came in and calmed to storm as he lasted four innings with only one earned run allowed while also notching a strikeout.
The Mavericks will return to action on Wednesday when they play host to No. 16 Dallas Baptist at Clay Gould Ballpark with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.
Jags Take Down Alabama State
MOBILE, Ala. – Left-hander Austin Stephens allowed one unearned run on three hits in six innings to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 9-2 win over Alabama State Tuesday at Stanky Field.
Stephens (1-1) tied a career high with four strikeouts, issued one walk and allowed one unearned run in a career-high six innings pitched to earn his first win at USA. The southpaw has pitched seven consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, dating back to his previous appearance against Brown on March 1.
"I finally have been feeling a lot better," Stephens said. "I have been dealing with some off-the-field health issues, but now I am feeling much better. And that feeling better gives me a little more confidence where I know I can attack the zone more. My velocity felt better, but I have changed my mindset to attack and go get the out. I have just kind of changed my mentality. My dad told me the other day you have to be a quiet warrior, and that's something I've been thinking about; it has just motivated me to stay in an attack mindset."
Stephens entered in relief of Jaguar right-hander Luke Morgan to begin the fourth inning, after USA put up four runs in the bottom of the third inning for a lead it never relinquished.
ASU (10-7) pushed across the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right-center field off the bat of Chris Biocic for an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
But South Alabama (13-8) answered with four runs across in the bottom of the third inning. The Jags tied the game 1-1 when Jared Barnes reached on a leadoff single and eventually scored on a one-out RBI single to right field by Danny Martinez. Cole Gleason followed with an RBI single to left-center field to score Adam Ballew, who singled earlier in the inning, and give the Jags a 2-1 lead. Matt Bolger then singled to left-center to score Martinez and Gleason and extend the Jag lead to 4-1.
"You have to grind all the time when you're not getting run support," Stephens said. "But it's great to have hitters like that who can give you run support. I throw from two arm angles, but I really stuck with a lot of fastballs tonight. I was just mixing in the slider, changeup and two-seam fastball, and just kept it down in the zone. We have great defense, so it's really easy to pitch with a defense like that behind you."
USA added to its lead with a one-out RBI single to left field by Barnes for a 5-1 advantage in the bottom of the sixth. The Jags loaded the bases later in the inning with one out before Bud Collura scored on a passed ball to push the USA lead to 6-1.
A two-out, two-run triple by Ballew in the bottom of the eighth extended the USA lead to 8-2. Martinez followed with an RBI single down the right-field line for the game's final run.
Seven Jaguar starters recorded hits in the game, led by Barnes who tied a career high with four hits, finishing 4-for-5 with one RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Ballew went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored, and Martinez added two hits, two RBI and a run. Cesar Rivera went 2-for-4 to lead the Hornets offensively.
South Alabama will return to action this weekend when it hosts Texas State in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series, beginning with game one Fri., March 20, at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.
National Player of the Week Blanton Stays Hot as Panthers Win Wild One
ATLANTA -- Ryan Blanton tripled in the 11th inning and scored on Rhett Harper's walk-off, suicide squeeze bunt to give Georgia State a 12-11 victory over Florida A&M Tuesday at the GSU Baseball Complex.
Blanton, named National Player of the Week Monday, stayed hot with four hits and is now 15-for-22 in his last four games. Joey Roach homered twice, and Matt Rose hit his seventh of the season to rank second in the nation.
Georgia State (13-6) has won four in a row and nine of its last 11 games. The Panthers never trailed in the game, but the score was tied four different times.
The game was even at 7-7 when the Panthers scored four in the bottom of the eighth, all with two outs. Blanton doubled with one out, moved to third on a fly ball and then scored on Caden Bailey's single to right field. Then Rose crushed a two-run homer to left to put the Panthers ahead 10-7. After Roach singled and Jack Thompson walked, GSU added another run on Sam Few's down the left field line to take an 11-7 lead into the ninth.
Rose came on to pitch the ninth, and FAMU (7-12) loaded the bases with one out on an infield single and a pair of walks. Marlon Gibbs hit a slow roller to third, and freshman Mitchell Benson, who replaced Rose at third, threw wildly to first, allowing three runs to score. Rose struck out Ryan Kennedy, but A.J. Ellis dropped a single into center field, allowing Gibbs to trot home from third with the tying run.
Kevin Burgee relieved Rose, got the third out and then tossed a scoreless 10th, with help from a diving catch by Blanton in center field. Wayne Wages (2-0) pitched the 11th to earn the victory. Alex Carrasco (0-4) took the loss for FAMU.
"I guess March Madness is everywhere," GSU head coach Greg Frady said. "And it's St. Patrick's Day and the other team has green in their uniforms. It was just a true mid-week game, where it was back and forth.
"Clutch performances by Kevin Burgee and Wayne Wages on the mound, and clutch hitting by Ryan Blanton, Caden Bailey and Rhett Harper executing the squeeze play," Frady continued. "Matt Rose homered and Joey Roach had two home runs, but the guy who is really hot for us in Ryan Blanton. He had the play everyone will remember with the triple to give us that chance. It just feels good to win."
Besides the triple in the 11th, Blanton led off the game with a single, had a run-scoring single in the second, and doubled and scored in the eighth to break a 7-7 tie.
On the final play, Frady said, "We haven't squeezed very much to win a game, but this wacky game deserved a wacky way to end it, and that's how we did it."
The Panthers won in extra innings for the second time in three games. In both games, Blanton tripled in the final inning and scored the winning run. Those are the only career triples for the sophomore center fielder.
Warhawks Down Tigers, 7-0, Tuesday Night
GRAMBLING, La. -- ULM used a pair of big innings to post a 7-0 win over Grambling State on Tuesday night at R.W.E. Field.
ULM took a 4-0 lead with a pair of homers to left in the top of the third inning. Josh Faciane led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sac bunt by Cody Stone. After Kodie Tidwell’s single gave the Warhawks runners at the corners, Keelin Rasch belted his fifth homer of the season and his three-run shot to left gave the Warhawks a 3-0 lead. Later in the frame, Danny Springer connected on a solo shot to left to push the lead to four runs (4-0).
In the fifth, the Warhawks pushed the lead to seven runs thanks to a pair of RBI doubles. With runners at second and third, Springer tallied RBI number two and three of the game as his double down the right field line plated Rasch and Nathan Pugh. Jacob Stockton followed with a double to the gap in right center allowing Springer to score and put ULM up 7-0.
Warhawk starter Brayden Bouchey earned the win and improved to 2-1 on the season. Over the course of his short start (three innings) the right-hander allowed four hits and one walk while striking out one.
Cole Hendrix made his second collegiate appearance and tossed three scoreless frames, allowing two walks while striking out one Tiger batter. Matthew Reeves, Anthony Herrera and Logan Dopson closed out the game for the Warhawks as each Warhawk pitcher tossed one scoreless frame.
The Warhawks were led offensively by Rasch and Springer as the duo combined for four hits, six RBI and four runs.
ULM will return to Sun Belt Conference play this weekend as it travels to Boone, N.C. for a three-game conference series at Appalachian State. The series is slated to begin Friday night at 5 p.m. (CT).
Seven in Seventh Wins 1-35 Rivalry for Bobcats
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Bobcats exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning, all with two outs, to beat UTSA, 11-7, in this season's first baseball installment of the I-35 Rivalry. Texas State was dangerous all night with two outs, scoring nine of their runs with just one out left in the inning. Despite trailing for six and a half innings, the Bobcats showed their resiliency with seven unanswered runs to win it.
As has been the case lately, the Bobcats called on senior Blake Whitter to close out the game. With bases loaded in the eighth, he did just that. He induced a short grounder that catcher Jared Huber was able to field for a double play, stepping on home plate and sending it to first base in time. After that, Whitter struck two batters out in the ninth to secure the win.
Jeremy Hallonquist threw seven strikeouts in just 3.1 innings of middle relief, only allowing two earned runs. After him, Joe Powell gave up just one hit with a strikeout in two innings of work to get his first win of the season.
The story of the night, however, were the Bobcat bats. Cedric Vallieres kept his four-game streak of at least two runs and two RBI, scoring three runs Tuesday night and belting his team-leading fourth home run of the year. Granger Studdard and Cory Geisler went 3-for-5 while Geisler scored two runs with an RBI and Studdard knocked two RBI. Freshman Dylan Paul was 1-for-4 but made it count with two RBI to put the Bobcats ahead for good.
With two outs in the seventh, Zach Sullivan started the offense with a single to right field. Tanner Hill, pinch hitting, singled up the middle after UTSA couldn't handle a foul pop up for the third out. After that, freshman Derek Scheible followed with a walk to load the bases.
Theodore Hoffman worked the count full and earned a bases-loaded walk for an RBI. After that, Paul knocked his double to left centerfield to score two runs and Hoffman came in on a throwing error on the play to put the Bobcats up, 8-7. Geisler kept the momentum rolling with a double down the right line and Vallieres reached next on another UTSA error. Geisler scored on the two-base error and Vallieres came in a batter later when Studdard knocked a single to left field. With that, the Bobcats never looked back.
To keep the Bobcats in the game early, Vallieres singled and David Paiz earned one of his two walks on the night. With both runners on base, a Studdard double scored Vallieres. Paiz came in a moment later on a wild pitch for Texas State's first two runs of the game.
In the fifth, Vallieres knocked his home run after a leadoff single from Geisler to close the deficit to just three runs, 7-4, in favor of UTSA. Then the seventh inning came and the Bobcats clinched it.
Texas State heads to South Alabama next with games scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Citadel Edges Georgia Southern
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Drew Ellis hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to rally The Citadel Bulldogs to a 4-3 win over the Georgia Southern Eagles at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.
Georgia Southern (12-10) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Aaron Mizell lifted his fourth home run of the season over the batter's eye in center field.
The Citadel (11-7) answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Austin Mapes and Stephen Windham both had RBI singles in the frame.
The Bulldogs tied the contest in the fifth inning on a two-out base hit by Connor Walsh, and Ellis hit his third home run of the year in the sixth inning to give The Citadel their first lead of the game.
Facing closer Sylar Hunter in the ninth inning, Chase Griffin hit a ground-rule double over the fence in left field. Hunter Thomas quickly ground out to move Griffin to third base but a pair of strikeouts by Hunter ended the game.
Hunter (8) picked up his eighth save of the season and allowed a hit and a walk in his one inning of work.
Ross White picked up the win in relief of the starter Austin Mason. White (2-0) faced four batters in the sixth inning and allowed an infield single to Logan Baldwin.
Mason settled in after allowing three runs in the first inning and held the Eagles scoreless over the next four innings.
Eagle starter Patrick Riley surrendered two runs on four hits in the first inning. Byron Yelverton tossed 2.1 scoreless frames out of the bullpen and struck out a batter.
The Eagles return home to host Arkansas State this weekend. The Sun Belt Conference series will be Education Day. All Georgia Southern faculty and staff as well as Bulloch County teachers, staff and students can purchase $5 game tickets.
UALR Falls to Missouri State
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – UALR baseball (6-9, 3-2) took a 10-3 loss at Missouri State (11-6, 0-0) on Tuesday afternoon.
The Trojans had multiple chances to score runs early in the game, but mistakes prevented UALR from doing so.
“The story of today is poor execution on our part,” head coach Chris Curry said. “We had bases loaded early and hit into a double play, which we actually did twice today. We had a check-swing strikeout with the bases loaded, we were picked off at first when were down three runs and we had eight walks. That’s a recipe for losing a baseball game. I don’t believe the score indicates how that game could have gone. We did not execute well at all.”
Petr Sila hit a leadoff single to center to begin the game for the Trojans. Jason Prevatt then drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Ryan Scott was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for UALR. The Trojans then grounded into a double play, but Sila scored from third to give UALR an early 1-0 lead.
The Trojans got on the board once again in the second inning as Ryan McSwain drew a walk to lead off the inning. McSwain then took second for his first-career stolen base. With one out, Hayden Martin got a single through the left side to put runners on the corners. Kyle Barret walked on four pitches to load the bases for the Trojans. Sila then hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring McSwain from third to take a 2-0 lead.
Missouri State evened the game in the second inning. The Bears got on with a walk with one out, and then doubled to right center to put runners at second and third. Missouri State grounded out to second base, but a run was able to cross the plate. The Bears then got another double down the left field line to tie the game at 2-2.
Missouri State kept the runs coming in the third after getting its third double of the game, scoring a runner from first to take a 3-2 lead. A sac fly to deep right then scored another run as the Bears took a 4-2 lead.
The Trojans got back on track in the fifth inning, scoring one run. Barret led off the inning with his first-career hit and advanced to second after a bunt single by Sila. Prevatt was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. UALR grounded into a double play, but Barret scored from third to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Missouri State singled to center to lead off the bottom of the fifth. A double to left center to brought home the runner from first while the batter advanced to third on the throw. A single to left center brought home another run to give Missouri State a 6-3 lead.
Starter Chad Bradford saw 1.2 innngs on the mound and gave up two runs and two hits before he was relieved by Reed Willenborg. Willenborg lasted 1.1 innings, giving up two runs and one hit before Stephen Chandler came on in relief. Chandler pitched 1.2 innings and gave up two runs on five hits.
In the bottom of the fifth with two outs, freshman Preston Oberling made his fourth appearance of the season, sitting down six straight batters before giving up a hit. After the hit, Oberling recorded the Trojans’ first strikeout of the day to end the seventh inning.
With one out in the eighth inning and bases loaded, Dyllon Brownmiller came on as the Trojans’ final reliever. Missouri State crossed the plate four more times on two hits to take a 10-3 lead heading into the ninth.
With one out in the ninth, UALR singled twice, but a fielder’s choice and a strikeout left two Trojan runners on base to end the game.
Kyle Barret was the Trojans’ main offensive threat, going 3 for 3 with a run and a walk. Petr Sila and Hayden Martin each went 2 for 4 with Sila gaining an RBI and a run.
“Preston Oberling threw the ball really well, and I thought Kyle Barret had an outstanding day,” Curry said. “It was eye opening with three hits. Beyond that, we just did a lot of things to give the opposing team the opportunity to score some runs, and they did to their credit,” Curry said. “We have to close the gap between our midweek and weekend games because we are Jekyll and Hyde. If we want to be a championship club, we have to find that consistency from game to game.”
UALR returns home for another midweek game on Wednesday as it faces Louisiana Tech at 6 p.m. at Gary Hogan Field.
Memphis Tops Arkansas State
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (3/17/15) – The Arkansas State baseball team dropped a 5-2 decision to Memphis in nonconference play Tuesday night at FedExPark in Memphis as the Red Wolves couldn’t solve the Tigers’ starter Alex Gunn.
Gunn pitched six innings for Memphis and gave up no runs on three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. The Tigers scored four runs in the first three innings and the Red Wolves couldn’t mount a comeback.
A-State (8-9) fell into an early hole after the Tigers (10-4) plated a run in the bottom of the first inning. Darien Tubbs and Jake Overbey singled to lead off the inning and Tubbs eventually scored on a double play ground out after stealing third base. The Red Wolves threatened in the top of the second after Stuart Levy doubled to lead off the inning and Memphis starter Alex Gunn walked the bases loaded with two outs. However, Lucas Feddersen flew out to the warning track in right field for the third out.
Memphis started the second inning with back-to-back singles and had runners at second and third after a sacrifice bunt. A-State starter Chandler Hawkins struck out Carter White for the second out, but an infield hit and an error on the throw plated two more Tigers’ runs. A ground out to second ended the inning, but Memphis added another run in the bottom of the third and took a 4-0 lead to the fourth inning.
Bo Ritter relieved Hawkins and pitched a perfect fourth, but got into some trouble in the fifth inning after a one-out walk. A wild pitch moved Kane Barrow to second and he came around to score on an error to extend the Memphis advantage to 5-0. Ritter picked Chris Carrier off first base to end the inning. Zach George extended his on-base streak to 34 games with a lead-off single in the sixth, but was left stranded at second to end the inning.
The Red Wolves added their first run of the game in the top of the seventh when Joe Schrimpf doubled to lead off the inning and was plated by a Matt Burgess single down the left field line. Burgess was erased on a fielder’s choice the next batter before Feddersen struck out and Ty White grounded out to third base to end the inning. The Red Wolves added another run in the top of the eighth when George scored on an error, but couldn’t rally and fell to Memphis 5-2.
Hawkins pitched the first three innings and took the loss as the senior lefthander allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. The A-State bullpen of Ritter, Cody Jackson, Collin Nord, and Colton Kibler combined to throw five innings and allowed an unearned run on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Offensively, George and Burgess led the Red Wolves with two hits and Burgess had the team’s only RBI.
Mountaineers Fall to UNC Asheville, 11-5
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Appalachian State University baseball fell in a midweek contest to UNC Asheville at Greenwood Baseball field on St. Patrick’s Day, 11-5.
The Mountaineers (5-15, 0-6 Sun Belt) got out to a quick two run lead in the first inning behind an RBI double from Conner Leonard that drove in Michael Pierson and Dillon Dobson. Leonard was a bright spot for the Mountaineer offense, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run.
Blake Burkett got the start for Appalachian, but didn’t make it out of the first inning after walking three Bulldogs. Asheville plated three runs on one hit in the first inning with the help of two passed balls, two wild pitches, and a fielding error.
After a scoreless second inning, the Bulldogs extended their lead on Hunter Bryant’s three-run homer off Luke Watts. Asheville then put together a four-run fifth inning that put the game out of reach for the Mountaineers.
Appalachian tried to get back into the ballgame with an RBI single from Zach Hummel in the fourth inning followed by a two-run shot over the left centerfield wall by Grayson Atwood in the sixth, but the Bulldog lead was too much to overcome.
In all, the Mountaineers used eight pitchers in the loss with no one lasting longer than two and a third innings.
The loss was the first at the hands of UNC Asheville since 2004, snapping a 14-game winning streak dating back to 2005.
The Mountaineers will seek their first Sun Belt Conference win this weekend when UL Monroe comes to Boone, N.C. for a three game series. The games are set to start at 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday at Appalachian State’s Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.