Sunday, April 26
Troy Completes Sweep of Texas State
TROY, Alabama – The Troy University baseball team competed a three-game sweep of Texas State with a 9-6 win at Riddle-Pace Field on Sunday. It was the second consecutive Sun Belt Conference series sweep at home for the Trojans.
Troy (25-20, 13-8 Sun Belt) takes over sole possession of fifth in the conference, but the five teams atop the standings are separated by no more that two games. The Trojans have nine league games remaining including three against both Georgia State and South Alabama, who are above Troy in the standings.
For the second time this week, the Trojans hit four home runs in a game as Logan Hill and Nick Masonia went deep while David Hall hit a pair of solo home runs.
Hill put Troy on the board with two outs in the opening inning with a solo shot to left. Hall made it back-to-back with a blast to the same location. Hall launched a 3-2 pitch over the wall in the seventh. Masonia hit his third homer of the season one batter later. For Hill, it was his seventh home run of the season, tying Reid Long for the team lead.
The Trojans hit eight home runs on the week, as Tripp Calhoun, Matt Sanders, Long and Hill all hit home runs against Kennesaw State on Wednesday. Troy collected 13 hits on Sunday marking the sixth time in the last seven games that the team has recorded double-digit hits. The Trojans batted .320 as a team in the series led by TJ Binder who finished 5-for-9 (.556) including a 2-for-3 performance with a two-RBI double in the fifth on Sunday against the Bobcats.
Leading 2-0, Peyton Fuller slapped a single to right, scoring Shaw Pinnell. Reid Long followed with his league leading fifth triple of the season. Fuller and Tripp Calhoun scored on the play and Troy led 5-0.
Texas State (18-24-1, 10-11) pulled to within one, 5-4, on Granger Studdard's three-run home run off Troy reliever Corey Childress in the fifth inning.
Austin Crook got the start on the mound and allowed three runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. Childress (3-4) took over and tossed 3 2/3 innings to earn the win. Jeremy McGowan pitched the ninth, making his 75th career appearance and passing Mal Winters for fourth all-time at Troy.
The Trojans improve to 10-2 at Riddle-Pace this season in Sun Belt Conference play. Troy will look to continue its rise in the conference standings as the team hits the road to face ULM in a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
Cajuns Sweep Mavericks to Win Sixth Consecutive
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team picked up its sixth straight victory on Sunday defeating UT Arlington 4-1 to sweep the series at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
The Cajuns (28-15, 12-7 Sun Belt) have won eight series on the year including three sweeps. Louisiana has also won 13 of its last 15 contests to improve to a season-best 13 games over .500.
"We actually have things where we want them right now," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "So we are going to have to ride this while we can. Pitching, defense and timely hitting…That's what we did all weekend. That leads to winning baseball games."
Freshman right-hander Wyatt Marks posted the third consecutive quality start for the Ragin' Cajuns on the mound over the weekend limiting the Mavericks (17-25, 8-13 Sun Belt) to one run on seven hits in seven innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Marks improved to 5-0 on the season in the start, tying freshman Gunner Leger for the most wins on the team.
Freshman reliever Dylan Moore recorded his sixth save of the season in the game posting two scoreless innings with a strikeout to close out contest.
UTA starter Joel Kuhnel was touched for four runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings with one walk and two strikeouts to fall to 2-2 on the year.
The Cajuns were outhit 9-7 by UT Arlington though no Mavericks had a multi-hit effort on the day. Designated hitter Tyler Girouard had a game-high two hits and scored a run for the Ragin' Cajuns. Junior outfielder Kyle Clement continued his hot hitting with his sixth home run in the last 11 games.
UT Arlington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a double off of the fence in right by centerfielder Matt McLean scoring second baseman Darien McLemore from third. Marks escaped any more damage in the inning inducing a pop up to short by left fielder Christian Hollie and struck out shortstop Travis Sibley to end the threat.
Louisiana answered in the bottom half of the third with a two-run opposite field homer to left by Clement on a 0-1 pitch from Kuhnel to give the Cajuns a 2-1 edge.
In the top of the fourth, the Mavericks loaded the bases on three consecutive singles to start the inning. Marks got a big play from shortstop Blake Trahan as he snagged a line drive from McLemore and doubled up first baseman Levi Scott at third. In the next at bat, third baseman Eric Tate flew out to right to end the inning.
The Cajuns extended the advantage to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth as right fielder Dylan Butler drove a single up the middle to score Girouard from second. Girouard led off the inning with an infield single and then moved to second on a wild pitch.
Junior second baseman Stefan Trosclair added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to left off of Kuhnel. The homer gives Troclair a team-best 10 on the season and extends his hit streak to a season-high 13 games as he has posted at least one hit in 25 of the last 26 games.
Louisiana will open its second straight five-game week on Tuesday at 6 p.m. with a road contest at in-state foe Nicholls State. Following the matchup with the Colonels, the Cajuns host New Orleans on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the "Tigue".
A-State Wins on Walk-off Wild Pitch
JONESBORO, Ark. (4/26/15) – The Arkansas State baseball team won in walk-off fashion when pinch-runner Tim Seldomridge was able to score the winning run on a wild pitch in A-State’s 7-6 victory over Appalachian State Sunday afternoon at Tomlinson Stadium.
Zach George led off the bottom of the ninth for the Red Wolves (18-23, 7-16 SBC) in a 6-6 game with a walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Schrimpf before being pinch ran for by Seldomridge. Appalachian State (13-31, 5-18 SBC) made a pitching change and Austin Baker reached base on an error by the third baseman with Seldomridge going to third on the play.
The Mountaineers made another pitching change with one out and after a 3-0 count on pinch-hitter Ty Michelotti reliever Caleb McCann uncorked a wild pitch while trying to intentionally walk Michelotti that allowed Seldomridge to slide home safely for the winning run.
Tyler Zuber earned the win on the mound for A-State to improve to 4-4 after pitching the last five innings of the game and only allowing one run (earned) on one hit with six strikeouts and one walk. Reed Howell, who started the ninth inning, took the loss for Appalachian State after throwing 3.1 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and one walk. Jon Glidewell started for A-State and tossed four innings while allowing five runs (all earned) on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Offensively, Baker led A-State with two hits and three RBIs, including his team-high fourth home run. Lucas Feddersen also had a multiple-hit game with two base knocks and drove in two runs. George also had two hits and extended his nation-leading on-base streak to 58 games. Appalachian State was led by home runs from Matt Brill and Connor Leonard.
Arkansas State started the scoring early after George led the game off with a single and Schrimpf followed with a double to left-center field. Baker drove both runners in with a base hit to center field and later scored on a Feddersen single. Feddersen stole second base and was plated by a base hit from Ty White to give the Red Wolves a 4-0 advantage after one inning.
The Mountaineers got one run back in the top of the second on a wild pitch by Glidewell, but neither team scored again until the fifth inning. Appalachian State climbed within one run at 4-3 after a walk and two-run homer by Brill, and the Mountaineers continued their threat after Zach Hummel was hit by a pitch and Brandon Burris walked to chase Glidewell from the game. Zuber entered the game and struck out Avery Jackson and got a ground out from Michael Pierson, but Leonard hit a three-run homer to left-center field to put Appalachian State on top 6-4.
The Red Wolves were able to get one run back in the bottom of the fifth when Baker scored on a base hit by Feddersen. The sixth inning and top of the seventh inning were scoreless before Baker hit the scoreboard in right field to tie the game at 6-6 with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Red Wolves return to action Tuesday, April 28 against regional-rival Memphis. First pitch from Tomlinson Stadium against the Tigers is set for 6:30 p.m.
Gates Pitches Jags to Sweep over Georgia State
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team used a seven-run third inning and quality start from Jared Gates to earn a series sweep over Georgia State with a 7-2 win in Sunday's series finale at Stanky Field.
Gates (4-2) tied a career high with nine strikeouts, and issued two walks while allowing three hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings pitched en route to his fourth win of the season. GSU right-hander Cole Uvila (1-5) allowed seven runs on four hits with five walks and one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings in the loss.
Georgia State (26-18, 13-6 SBC) took the game's first lead in the top of the first when Ryan Blanton led off the game with a solo home run down the right-field line.
But USA (29-16, 14-7 SBC) answered in the bottom of the third with all seven of its runs. Uvila issued consecutive walks to Cole Billingsley and Bud Collura to start the bottom of the third. Ben Gann followed with a groundout to first base to move both runners into scoring position with one out. Adam Ballew reached on catcher's interference to load the bases for Cole Gleason with one out. Gleason drew a walk to plate Billingsley and tie the game 1-1. Garrett DeGallier then reached on a fielding error by Jack Thompson at first base that allowed Collura and Ballew to score and give the Jags a 3-1 lead. An RBI single from Matt Bolger and two-run double by Jared Barnes pushed the USA lead to 6-1. Billingsley then delivered a two-out RBI triple down the right-field line later in the inning to extend the Jaguar lead to six runs.
GSU added the game's final run in the top of the fourth on a solo home run to left field by Thompson.
The South Alabama pitching staff combined to allow just three runs on 10 hits in the three-game set with Georgia State, who entered the weekend as the top-hitting team in Sun Belt Conference games.
"Our guys pitched extremely well the entire series," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "We have played really well behind our pitchers most of the year. We've been opportunistic offensively, and we have played good defense. Coach Keller does a fantastic job with the pitching staff, and they are ready for situations that they are in and are prepared for the team's we play. Whenever you sweep a team on the weekend, you played well and you caught some breaks along the way.
"Our guys played well this weekend, and we pitched extremely well. Gates was good today. Our guys have given us a chance in pretty much every ballgame we have played this year, and that's all you can ask out of a pitching staff. We'll need them to continue. It's where we're at right now – this isn't the end of the year. There are nine conference games left; it's just where we are entering this week. You have to play the game and play it the right way. But I was super-proud of our pitchers and their effort this weekend. Our guys have been on the road a good bit the last month, and to their credit our kids do things right. They are going to class the next day after getting home at 1 a.m. from a road trip, and our coaches are in the office early and ready to go to work. It's harder when you do things right, but I am proud of them. We have a long way to go. We were one of those teams in the balance entering the weekend, and I told our guys their mental-approach will be the determining factor for this team at the end of the year."
Billingsley went 3-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and one run scored to lead the Jags at the plate. Barnes finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and one run scored, while Bolger added a hit and an RBI.
South Alabama will return to action Wed., April 29, when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a 6 p.m. contest with Southern Mississippi.
Warhawks Race Past Eagles in Series Finale
STATESBORO, Ga. -- ULM picked up an 11-1 run-rule victory over Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt series finale on Sunday afternoon at J.I. Clement Stadium.
ULM (21-23, 8-13 SBC) plated the game’s first run as Justin Stawychny drove in Kodie Tidwell on a fielder’s choice RBI to put the Warhawks ahead, 1-0. After starting pitcher Keegan Curtis worked out of a bases loaded jam with back-to-back strikeouts, the Warhawks went back on the offensive in the top of the second inning.
With one out, the Warhawks put runners on the corners as Nathan Pugh drew a walked and moved to third when Jacob Stockton reached on a fielding error by Eagle second baseman Jordan Howard. Stockton then stole second and moved to third as Pugh scored on the second error of the game by Howard to put ULM ahead, 2-0. The Warhawks went up 3-0 as Stockton was able to race home on a passed ball.
ULM pushed its lead to 4-0 over Georgia Southern (26-18, 16-8) as Danny Springer and Spencer Hemphill (RBI) tallied back-to-back doubles with two outs in the third inning.
After two scoreless innings the Warhawks broke through with five two-out runs in the sixth inning to push their lead to 9-0. ULM loaded the bases with two outs via walks by Dalton Todd, Tidwell and Keelin Rasch. Todd scored on a balk and then Stawychny drove in a pair with a two-RBI triple to right field. Stawychny scored on a RBI single by Springer and later in the frame Springer scored when Pugh reached on a two-base error to put ULM ahead by nine runs.
Georgia Southern scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth as Chase Griffin scored on a 6-4-3 double play.
ULM pushed the advantage to 10 runs in the top of the seventh as Justin Stawychny tallied RBI number four and five of the afternoon with a double down the left field line to plate Todd and Tidwell.
The Eagles record three straight fly outs to center in the seventh to conclude the shortened, run-ruled contest.
Curtis earned the win for the Warhawks and improved to 3-0 as he allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks with four punchouts in six innings. Logan Dopson closed out the game for ULM tossing a scoreless seventh inning.
Stawychny led ULM with two hits, five RBI (tied career-high) and one run scored; the senior’s five RBI are the most in a game for ULM since Chet Simoneaux and Anthony Herrera had six and five RBI, respectively, against Texas State on Apr. 12, 2014. Springer, meanwhile, added three hits, two runs and one RBI, while Tidwell and Todd each walked three times on Sunday and scored three and two runs, respectively.
Georgia Southern starter Connor Simmons was tagged with the loss after allowing three total runs (one earned) on one hit and three walks with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. In all, the Eagles used eight pitchers on Sunday.
ULM will return to action in the midweek as it plays its final non-conference game of the regular season at Nicholls State. First pitch between the Warhawks and Colonels at Ray E. Didier Field in Thibodaux, La., is slated for 6 p.m.
UALR Falls Again in Walk-Off Fashion to Indiana State
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For the second straight game, UALR baseball (14-25) fell on a walk-off hit by Indiana State (19-21) in the bottom of the ninth inning to take 2-1 loss on Sunday.
Sunday’s game was a pitching duel all the way through as the Trojans and Sycamores combined for just six hits. Cory Malcom pitched five innings before giving way to Sam Thoele to begin the sixth. Malcom struck out four while only allowing a hit and a run.
"I thought Cory threw the ball extremely well," head coach Chris Curry said. "He put himself in a hole with the unearned run by trying to make a spectacular throw to first, and I thought Thoele did outstandng out of the bullpen."
Indiana State put up its first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Landon Curry reached on a throwing error to first and proceeded to advance to second to lead off the inning. Right after, another fielding error by the Trojans allowed Curry to score from second to give the Sycamores a 1-0 lead.
After the Sycamores held the Trojans hitless for seven innings, UALR struck for one run on two hits in the top of the eighth. Drew Merten walked on seven pitches before Jason Prevatt came on to pinch run. Justin Steelmon laid a sacrifice bunt down the first base line, allowing Prevatt to advance to second. After moving over to third on a ground out, Prevatt crossed the plate to tie the game at 1-1 on an RBI single to left field by Ryan McSwain.
"The two freshman, Barret and McSwain, swung the bat well, and Drew Merten really played well," Curry said. "He made five or six key blocks and threw out three runners."
The Trojans went down in order to begin the ninth inning, meaning they would have to hold off the Sycamores in the bottom of the inning to force extras. Jacob Hayes walked on seven pitches to begin the bottom frame, and then advanced to second on sacrifice bunt by Andy Young. With one out, Connor McClain was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. For the second game in a row, Manuel Estevez delivered the game winning walk-off hit as Hayes came around to score.
"It's very frustrating to lose five of our last six games by two runs or less. What it boiled down to this weekend was a lack of execution on offense.We're just in a rough patch right now. We're in one of those baseball stretches where it's tough. We're playing very good teams, and the margin of error is razor thin as I've said all year. We need production at the top of the lineup, and we'll get it. There's no question about that because they're good hitters, and good hitters are going to get hits."
UALR's silver lining with the recent losses is its unchanged 10-10 Sun Belt record with conference-foe UT Arlington on the docket for next weekend.
"Even after this rough stretch where things haven't gone our way, our conference record is still in the top half of the league, and we can still accomplish our season goals," Curry said.
UALR will now travel to Stillwater, Okla., as it faces No. 9 Oklahoma State in a midweek non-conference game on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.