Sunday, April 19
Mavs Earn Series Win over Troy with 10-7 Victory on Sunday
ARLINGTON, Texas - Facing a daunting six-run deficit in the second inning of Sunday's rubber match with Troy, UT Arlington stormed back to take the game 10-7, and the series, at Clay Gould Ballpark.
"It was good to get a series win and we talked about that coming in," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "That's a good club and we've been scuffling a little bit, but we needed to start winning some games. We feel fortunate to beat a good club and hopefully that gives us a little bit of momentum going down the stretch here."
The Mavericks (17-21, 8-10 Sun Belt) recorded their 10 runs off of 16 hits with a pair of errors. The Trojans (21-20, 10-8 Sun Belt) came away with seven runs off 14 hits with an error.
The series win marked the first for the Mavericks since March 15 of this season when UTA claimed the final game against South Alabama to take the series 2-1.
Cody Farrell made the most of his start, going 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and two runs. Travis Sibley also helped pace the Mavericks offense with a 3-for-5 performance that included two RBI and two runs.
"I'm extremely proud of Cody Farrell," Thomas said. "We stuck him in there in the four hole and he made me look good. He went 4-for-5 with three RBI and that's what we got him here to do. Be a run producer and be a guy in the middle of the order."
Jacob Moreland gave up six hits and an earned run on the way to improving to 3-1. Moreland pitched 5.2 innings after coming into the game in the third.
"Moreland was really, really good and gave us a chance to comeback," Thomas added. "Our offense got hot and then the bullpen did the job down the stretch."
The Mavericks got out to a rocky start in the game, giving up six runs through two innings of play. However, UTA began to chip away at the Troy lead in the second with a pair of runs. Singles by Eric Tate and Brady Cox jump started the Mavs' offense, putting two runners on with one out. RJ Williams brought in the two with an RBI double to left field, cutting the Trojans lead to 6-2.
Sibley got the third inning out to another strong start with his leadoff solo shot over the left-field wall. The Mavs were able to slim the margin to two later in the inning with an Eric Tate sacrifice fly to left that pushed across a run.
The offense carried over into the fourth, sending five across the plate on its way to taking a 9-6 lead. Sibley jump started the scoring spree with a RBI single up the middle and Levi Scott helped push across the go-ahead run with his single to right field. With one out on the board, Farrell recorded a two-RBI double to left field. Tate's RBI single to left field then capped the scoring for the inning with the Mavs holding a three-run advantage.
The Trojans cut into the Mavs lead in the sixth, bringing across one run to put the score at 9-7 in favor of UTA.
UT Arlington added an insurance run in the eight on Farrel's RBI single to right to score Scott.
Colin Tornberg closed the Trojans down with a perfect ninth inning for his eight save of the year. Tornberg is tied for fourth in single-season saves and is sixth in career saves with 10. Tornberg's career mark sits just one shy of tying Chad Nack for the fifth most saves in UTA history.
Next up, the Mavericks will square off with No. 1 Texas A&M at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in College Station. The Tuesday matchup in College Station is set to begin at 2:05 p.m. and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Simmons, Cleveland Help Eagles Complete Sweep over Trojans
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Ryan Cleveland hit two home runs as the Georgia Southern baseball team swept a three-game Sun Belt Conference series from the UALR Trojans with a 10-3 win on Sunday at Gary Hogan Field.
The Eagles' (24-16, 14-7) offense staked starter Connor Simmons to an early lead after striking for a run in the first inning. Chase Griffin plated Kody Adams, who singled to lead off the game, with a sacrifice fly.
"It is always good to score early. We did a nice job of executing. Kody did a nice job of setting the table, we were able to get him over, and Chase got him in with the sacrifice fly," Head Coach Rodney Hennon said.
Simmons (2-3) took the early lead and ran with it. The freshman lefthander allowed one run over six innings for his third victory of the season. Simmons retired six of the first seven batters he faced before allowing a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly from Petr Sila.
Simmons stranded base runners over four-straight innings and set down the side in order in each of the first and sixth innings to help secure the victory.
"I am really proud of Connor," Hennon said. "He had a tough outing last Sunday at home, so it was good to see him pick himself up. He pitched really well today, especially in some situations with some men on base."
Sam Thoele struck out a career-high 10 batters but was tagged for five runs in a losing effort. Thoele (2-5) walked four batters and allowed four hits over 5.1 innings.
Cleveland broke open a 1-0 game with a three-run homer in the third inning and hit his second of the day in the seventh inning to put the Eagles up 9-3.
Aaron Mizell tallied three of the Eagles' 13 hits. Mizell drove in two runs with a homer in the seventh inning and doubled twice. Dalton Busby also added a solo home run in the seventh inning.
The Eagles return home to host the College of Charleston on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Warhawks Take Finale, Series Over Arkansas State
MONROE, La. – Anthony Herrera tallied the game-winning hit and earned the win on the mound as the Warhawks defeated visiting Arkansas State, 3-2, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Warhawk Field.
With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Spencer Hemphill drew a lead-off walk and was replaced by pinch runner Robbie Podorsky. After a sacrifice bunt by Brian Barefoot, Herrera singled up the middle and recorded the game-winning RBI as Podorsky raced home to put ULM ahead, 3-2.
In the ninth, Herrera surrendered a pair of hits but thanks to a fielder’s choice and a strikeout, the sophomore notched his first win of 2015. Herrera logged 1 1/3 innings of work, allowing two hits and two punchouts. Keegan Curtis got the start for ULM and tossed seven complete innings, allowing two runs on seven hits; Matthew Reeves made his first appearance since Mar. 20 (at App State) and logged 2/3 of an inning of work.
Herrera delivered the game-winning hit and game-winning RBI, while Kodie Tidwell registered two hits, two RBI and one run in the win.
Arkansas State reliever Tyler Zuber (3-4) was tagged with the loss after allowing one run on two hits in two innings of work.
The Red Wolves plated the game’s first run as the visitor’s took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
ULM took its first lead of the game on a two-out, two-run homer to right field by Tidwell. Tidwell’s third homer of the season gave the Warhawks a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Arkansas State evened the game at 2-2 on a solo homer to left center in the top of the seventh; the homer by Joe Schrimpf concluded the scoring for the Red Wolves.
ULM will return to action in the midweek with a pair of games against C-USA teams. The Warhawks will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face Southern Miss at 6 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a 6 p.m. home contest Wednesday against Louisiana Tech.
Cajuns Run Rule Texas State, 13-3, to Claim Series
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team launched a season-best four home runs as the squad surged to a 13-3 victory against Texas State in seven innings on Sunday to take the series in the rubber match at Bobcat Ballpark.
The series win is the seventh of the season and fourth in conference play for the Ragin' Cajuns as they improve to 23-15 overall and 10-7 in Sun Belt play.
"I felt whoever got the first lick today was going to win the game," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "We went out and made the first punch and was able to come away with the win. With this weather, the ball was jumping and our hitters like to hit when the conditions were like they were."
Louisiana outhit the Bobcats (18-20-1, 10-8 SBC) 12-7 in the game led by Stefan Trosclair who was 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBI. Trosclair increased his hit streak on conference games to 12 with the performance. He also had three home runs and eight RBI in the series and leads the squad with nine homers on the year.
Kyle Clement and Dylan Butler also had two hits on the afternoon to go with a home run as five Cajuns players had multiple hits in the contest.
Freshman right-hander Wyatt Marks posted a strong start on the mound limiting Texas State to two runs on five hits to improve to 4-0 on the season. Marks tied a season-high individual mark with 11 strikeouts in the contest while allowing two free passes.
Jeremy Hallonquist (4-1) was handed his first loss of the year after giving up eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits in four innings of work. Hallonquist had only surrendered three home runs in nine appearances coming into the contest but was touched for four on the day.
Clement gave the Cajuns a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as he sent a 1-0 pitch from Hallonquist well over the fence in right for his third homer of the season.
The Ragin' Cajuns posted a three run inning in the top of the fourth on pair of home runs. Trosclair launched a solo home run to left on the first pitch he saw from Hallonquist to start the fourth. After a double by Tyler Girouard, Butler crushed a two-run homer to centerfield to make the score 4-0 Louisiana. The home run was the sixth of the year for Butler.
In the top of the fifth, the Cajuns exploded for six runs on four hits and two Texas State errors to take a 10-0 lead. A three-run homer by Trosclair highlighted the scoring in the inning.
Louisiana tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth to make the score 13-0. Third baseman Evan Powell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Ragin' Cajuns an 11-run lead. The Cajuns scored two more runs on an error by the Bobcats shortstop Luke Sherley on a ball hit by Greg Davis.
Texas State got on the board in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI double by Colby Targun and two-run homer by David Paiz to make the final 13-3.
Louisiana returns to action next week with five games starting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. as the squad heads to Hammond, La. to face Southeastern Louisiana. Following the matchup with the Lions, the Cajuns will host Southern in the first of four straight games at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.