Saturday, May 2
Fast Start Propels Mavericks Past UALR
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington jumped out to an early five-run lead and never looked back in a 7-3 victory over UALR at Clay Gould Ballpark on Saturday afternoon.
"We did a good job of throwing strikes," UT Arlington coach Darin Thomas said. "That's the second day in a row that we didn't walk anybody. Brad Vassar gave us a good start, and Jacob Moreland came in and did what he does. We had some big hits in the first inning and then we kind of stalled a little bit, but then we had the big hit by Darien McLemore in the eighth. We really needed that and it salted the game for us."
The Mavericks (19-26, 10-13 SBC) went 10-for-34 at the plate, while holding the Trojans (14-27, 10-12) to six hits on the day. UTA was 7-for-15 with runners on base and left just five runners on.
Vassar was strong out of the gate for the Mavericks, laying down the first nine Trojan batters and striking out three. The McKinney native ended his day with two hits and two earned runs allowed in 3.1 innings pitched.
With Vassar allowing a pair of runs in the fourth inning, UTA turned to Moreland (4-2) who picked up the victory in his 5.2 innings of action. Moreland allowed four hits and one earned run, while striking out three. In addition to the five strikeouts, the UTA duo didn't walk any any UALR batters.
Travis Sibley served as the catalyst for UT Arlington offensively as the senior shortstop reached base in each of his four plate appearances. The Frisco native went 2-for-2 on the day with a pair of runs scored. McLemore's 2-for-4 outing helped add to the offensive firepower as he drove in three runs, while scoring one of his own.
After scoring five runs through three innings in the series opener on Friday, UTA matched that mark in the first inning of play on Saturday. The Mavs scored five runs off of six straight hits to lead off the game. An error by the Trojans left fielder made room for Matt McLean to score the opening run of the day. With the bases loaded and no outs, Jackson Morris stepped into the box and delivered with an RBI single to right field. McLemore and Eric Tate joined the party in the next two at-bats with RBI singles to right and left field, respectively. The final run of the inning came on a ground-ball double play that pushed across McLemore.
UALR chipped away at the UTA lead in the fourth with an RBI single through the left side and a sacrifice fly to left field to cut the lead to 5-2.
With the offense stalling after the opening-inning outburst, McLemore revived the bats with a two-out, two-RBI triple down the right-field line that gave UTA a five-run advantage.
The Trojans brought one more run across in the eighth off of a fielder's choice RBI to third, making the final score 7-3 in favor of the Mavs.
"We just need to keep playing," Thomas said. "This is our first chance at a sweep going into the last day since I can remember. We'll come out and get after them a little bit.
"Hopefully we can come out with a good approach and play a good game tomorrow. We have plenty of arms left and I feel good with Joel Kuhnel on the mound."
UTA and UALR will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. matchup at Clay Gould Ballpark. The Mavericks will throw Kuhnel (2-2), while the Trojans will turn to right-hander Cameron Allen (3-4).
Cajuns Hit Six Home Runs in Rout of Mountaineers
BOONE, N.C. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team posted a season-high for hits, runs, doubles and homers as the squad routed Appalachian State 20-6 on Saturday to even the series at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
The Cajuns (30-16, 14-8 Sun Belt) and Mountaineers (14-34, 6-19 Sun Belt) will meet in the rubber match on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT. Freshman right-hander will make the start for Louisiana, while App State will go with senior left-hander Jeffrey Springs. The game can be heard live on KPEL 96.5 FM with Jay Walker making the call.
"You know you are going to score runs after facing a guy like we did last night," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "The hitters are going to see the ball better than they did the night before. Its an invisible climb facing a guy like we did last night, and it actually makes you a better hitter. We saw that today. Conversely we need to be careful that we come out and continue to hit tomorrow."
The Ragin' Cajuns pounded out 19 hits including seven doubles and six home runs. The six home runs is the most hit by an opponent at Smith Stadium and fell one short of the school record.
Senior designated hitter Tyler Girouard led the way going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and drove in three. Blake Trahan, Stefan Trosclair and Kyle Clement each had three hits on the day with Trosclair equaling a career-high with four RBI.
Junior reliever Will Bacon picked up the victory to move to 3-1 on the year. Bacon held App State to one run on four hits in three innings of work with a strikeout and a walk. Starter Evan Guillory was chased from the game in the fifth inning after giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in a no decision.
Sophomore Reagan Bazar tossed two scoreless innings to close out the game and had three strikeouts.
Starter Travis Holden was handed his fourth loss of the yard after surrendering nine runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings with three walks and five strikeouts.
Louisiana took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first for the second straight game on two-out double to left by Girouard.
The Mountaineers answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first on a two-run error by right fielder Dylan Butler on a ball hit by first baseman Conner Leonard to take a 2-1 edge.
The Cajuns would regain the lead for good in the top of the third on a two-run homer to right by Clement to make the score 3-2. The homer was the seventh of the season for Clement. Two batters later, Girouard launched his third home run of the season to right to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Ragin' Cajuns would add five runs on three hits and two walks in the top of the fourth to jump out to a 9-2 advantage. A solo home run by Evan Powell and a three-run homer by Trosclair highlighted the scoring in the inning. The homer for Trosclair gives him 12 on the year.
Centerfielder Brian Bauk cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to center to make the score 9-3.
App State added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within three runs on a Cajuns error and a pair of RBI singles by designated hitter Matt Brill and Bauk.
Louisiana blew the game open in the top of the sixth scoring six runs on five hits, a walk and an ASU error. A trio of RBI doubles by Girouard, Butler and Thurman highlighted the inning.
The Cajuns added five runs over the final three innings including a two-run double and a solo home run by first baseman Greg Davis to make the final 20-6.
Eight-Run Sixth the Difference for Jags as they Clinch Series with Eagles
STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of South Alabama baseball team used an eight-run sixth inning en route to a 12-7 series-clinching win over Georgia Southern Saturday at J.I. Clements Stadium.
South Alabama (31-17, 16-7 SBC) faced a three-run deficit entering the sixth inning when it sent 14 batters to the plate, and pushed eight runs across on seven hits to take a lead it never relinquished.
Garrett DeGallier reached on a leadoff walk in the sixth, and moved to third when Ryan Raspino singled through the left side of the infield and advanced to second on a throw into third in an attempt to cut down DeGallier. Cole Billingsley followed with an RBI groundout to second to score DeGallier and cut the USA deficit to two runs. Ben Gann followed with an infield single to shortstop to plate Raspino and cut the GSU lead to 7-6. Bud Collura singled to center field to move Gann into scoring position with one out. Adam Ballew followed with a single to center field, and the Jags tied the game 7-7 on the play when GSU center fielder Kody Adams' throw to third sailed into the GSU dugout to allow Gann to score. Matt Bolger then delivered a one-out, two-run single back up the middle for a 9-7 Jaguar lead. Davis Knapp followed with a bunt single down the third-base line to load the bases. DeGallier reached on a hit by pitch to score Bolger and extend the USA lead to three runs. Raspino then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Gleason for an 11-7 Jag advantage. USA added its eighth and final run of the frame on a fielder's choice off the bat of Billingsley to left-center field that allowed Knapp to score on a dropped fly by left fielder Thomas.
Jaguar left-hander Joey Jones (1-0) issued two walks in two-thirds of an inning to earn his first career win at USA. Jason Richman (6-1) allowed three runs on three hits in one-third of an inning in the loss.
USA took the first lead of the game in the top of the first inning. Billingsley drew a leadoff walk to start the game, and advanced to third on a single back up the middle by Gann to put runners at the corners with no outs. Collura followed with an RBI fielder's choice to second base to score Billingsley for a 1-0 Jaguar lead.
Georgia Southern (27-20, 16-10 SBC) answered in the bottom of the second with four runs. Dalton Busby reached on a leadoff single back to the pitcher to start the inning. The Eagles then loaded the bases on two consecutive hit by pitches from USA right-hander Austin Bembnowski. Adams then reached on a third straight hit by pitch by Bembnowski to score Busby and tie the game 1-1. Aaron Mizell followed with a bases-loaded walk to score C.J. Brazil for a 2-1 GSU lead. Hunter Thomas then reached on a fourth hit by pitch from Bembnowski to score Adams for a two-run GSU advantage. Hunter Soleymani entered in relief of Bembnowski with two outs, and issued a walk to the first batter he faced which allowed Mizell to score and push the Eagle lead to 4-1.
But the Jaguars tied the game with a three-run fourth inning. Jared Barnes reached on a one-out double to right field, and DeGallier followed with a walk. Billingsley then delivered a two-out RBI double to center field to score Barnes and cut the GSU lead in half. Gann followed with a two-run double to center field to score DeGallier and Billingsley and tie the game 4-4.
Georgia Southern answered to take a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out, two-run single to left-center field by Ryan Cleveland, and added its final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a bases-loaded walk by Chase Griffin.
Eight Jaguar starters recorded hits in the game, led by Gann who went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Gleason finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and one run scored, and Billingsley went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.
South Alabama extended its Sun Belt Conference winning streak to six games, and has won eight of its last nine league contests.
The Jaguars will attempt to sweep their second consecutive conference series at noon Sunday. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.
Levy, Jones Power Panthers Past Bobcats
ATLANTA -- Senior David Levy drove in a career-high four runs and freshman Justin Jones hit his first career home run to power Georgia State to a 10-5 victory over Texas State Saturday at the GSU Baseball Complex. The Panthers snapped a four-game losing streak and evened the series with the Bobcats.
Georgia State (27-19, 14-7) is in second place in the Sun Belt standings behind South Alabama, which also won today.
The Panthers rallied from a 4-1 deficit with a six-run fifth inning. GSU entered the inning down 4-2, and Joey Roach started the scoring with an RBI-single to bring home Matt Rose, who led off with single and moved to second on an error. After Jack Thompson singled, Cam Sperry tied the game with a single up the middle.
After two outs, Levy delivered a two-run single up the middle to put the Panthers ahead 6-4 and chase Texas State starter Scott Grist (3-5). Then Jones greeted reliever Pasquale Mazzoccoli with his homer to left field on a 1-1 count, giving GSU an 8-4 lead it would not relinquish.
"Our two middle infielders played great today," head coach Greg Frady said. "Justin Jones hit his first home run, David Levy had four RBIs and he had, in my opinion, the crucial at-bat of the game with his two-out RBIs to give us the lead.
"I can't say enough about the team and how good we are when we show up and bring it. Last night was not a representative of who we are. Today was much more this team's caliber, and I'm happy to win."
Kenny Anderson (5-2) won his second straight decision and earned his team-leading fifth victory for the Panthers as he pitched six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. All four runs came in the third inning on back-to-back homers by Granger Studdard, who hit a three-run homer, and Tanner Hill.
"Toughness starts with seniors," Frady said. "Kenny had a really rough fourth inning, but he battled and minimized the damage. For Kenny to not only get out of that inning but put up three more scoreless innings after that really gave us a chance to settle down, score some runs and take the lead."
Levy, the veteran second baseman, also had a run-scoring single in the fourth and a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Sophomore Trae Sweeting, filling in for injured center fielder Ryan Blanton, had two hits and scored three runs, including a steal of home on a double steal.
Thompson, another freshman, added two hits and an RBI, while Rose, Roach and Caden Bailey had two hits each as the Panthers totalled 16 on the day.
"I'm proud of these guys. They answered the bell. This looked like Georgia State baseball today."
The series concludes with a noon game Sunday.
Warhawks Top Troy to Claim Series
MONROE, La. -- All nine Warhawk batters logged at least one hit as the club finished with 12 on the night in a 6-2 win over Troy on Saturday night at Warhawk Field. The Warhawks have claimed the series by winning the first two games of the conference set (W, 4-2, Friday; W, 6-2, Saturday).
In the bottom of the first, the Warhawks (23-24, 10-13 Sun Belt) put a pair on with one out as Keelin Rasch singled and Kodie Tidwell followed with a double down the left field line. Justin Stawychny then drove in Rasch with a groundout and thanks to a throwing error by Troy first baseman Troy Hill, Tidwell was able to race home and put the Warhawks ahead, 2-0.
The visiting Trojans (25-22, 13-10) tied the game in the top of the second inning as Matt Sanders (double) and Shaw Pinnell (groundout) each picked up one RBI in the frame.
Stawychny led off the home half of the fourth inning with a bunt single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Danny Springer battled during a nine-pitch at-bat and eventually connected on his eighth homer of the season to put ULM back in front at 4-2.
In the sixth, the Warhawks got three straight two-out hits including a RBI single to right center that plated Spencer Hemphill to push the advantage to three runs at 5-2. Nathan Pugh tallied his fifth homer of the season as he pushed the lead to four runs (6-2) in the bottom of the eighth.
Troy put a pair on with no outs in the ninth forcing the Warhawks to make their first call to the bullpen of the night. Warhawk reliever Josh Leone earned save number three of the season as he recorded a foul out and a double play to end the contest.
Trey Setzer (6-2) picked up the win after logging eight-plus innings of work allowing two runs on six hits and three walks while fanning seven Trojan batters.
Tidwell, Hemphill and Pugh all logged two hits and one run in the win over the Trojans on Saturday night.
Troy starter Lucas Brown (5-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing four earned runs (five total) on 11 hits during his 107-pitch outing. The right-hander did record eight strikeouts in the contest.
The Warhawks and the Trojans will conclude the series Sunday afternoon with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
A-State Falls to Kansas State
MANHATTAN, Kan. (5/2/15) – The Arkansas State baseball team allowed Kansas State to score six runs in the third inning and seven in the seventh inning as the Red Wolves handed out 14 walks in a 16-5 setback to the Wildcats Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.
A-State (19-25) starter Adam Grantham only lasted two innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on just one hit, but he walked six and struck out three while throwing 68 pitches to take the loss. Coulton Lee threw 3.2 innings out of the pen and allowed six runs (one earned) on five hits as he walked four and only struck out one. Cody Jackson gave up six runs in an inning of work, while Bo Ritter got the final four outs of the game and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits.
The 14 walks were a season-high by the A-State pitching staff with the next highest total coming in Friday’s night win with 11. Offensively, A-State was led by Joe Schrimpf, Tanner Ring, and Lucas Feddersen with two hits apiece, while Zach George knocked in three runs as he extended his on-base streak to a nation-high 61 games. Every one of K-State’s starters had a hit and Clayton Dalrymple drove in three runs.
A-State scored first on a bases-loaded walk by George in the top of the second, but couldn’t do any more damage. The Wildcats tied the game on an error in the bottom half of the inning, but broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third inning. The frame began with a walk by Grantham, who left the game after the free pass, and Dalrymple plated two runs on a single to right field later to make the score 3-1.
Kansas State added to the lead with a run on a throwing error on an attempted steal and a single to right field by Steve Serratore that made the score 6-1. The final run of the inning scored on a RBI double by Tyler Moore to put the score at 7-1, but A-State struck back quickly in the top of the fourth when George hit a two-out, two-run double off the right-field wall to cut the deficit to 7-3.
K-State added another run in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly, but A-State’s Feddersen hit his first home run of the season in the top of the sixth to make the score 8-4. However, the Wildcats put things out of reach with a seven-run seventh inning that featured runs on a bases-loaded walk, infield single, and wild pitch with a two-run single and two-run double that put the tally at 15-4 in favor of KSU.
The Wildcats added a run in the eighth inning on another A-State error, its sixth of the ball game, before the visitors put together a small rally in the ninth. Matt Burgess singled to lead off the inning and Eric Wilcoxson was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat. Ty Michelotti grounded into a fielder’s choice, but Daltan Lovell plated A-State’s final run on a RBI single. Brett Andersen was hit by a pitch to extend the inning, but Feddersen flew out to end the game.
Nate Griep earned the win for K-State to improve to 4-2, while Grantham fell to 0-2 on the season.