Monica Lifts Cajuns To 6-5 Win At Troy
TROY, Ala. – Junior catcher Handsome Monica came through with the game-winning double in the ninth as the 15th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns defeated Troy 6-5 to open the series Friday night at Riddle-Pace Field.
The victory improves the Ragin' Cajuns to 12-8 on the season and 3-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, while Troy falls to 12-9 overall and 2-2 in the league.
"Our hitters picked up Gunner (Leger) tonight," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "The offense did a great job. They need to do what we did tonight, which was score in multiple innings. Wyatt (Marks) did an exceptional job tonight with that slider. He came in and shut the faucet off, and then we were able to get the big hit."
Starter Gunner Leger allowed five runs (two earned) on nine hits in five innings of work. Leger walked two and struck out seven in a no decision.
Junior Wyatt Marks was lights out on the mound to notch his first victory of the year tossing three scoreless innings in relief. Marks faced one over the minimum with three strikeouts.
Junior Dylan Moore came in and shut the door in the ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the year and 32nd of his career to set a new Sun Belt Conference career saves record.
"Dylan will be the first person that'll tell you that he doesn't care about records," Robichaux said. "He's just in this to help get wins for the team. I'm glad for him because this is an example of baseball playing someone back for their hard work and effort."
Reliever Marc Skinner (1-2) suffered the loss for Troy after giving up one run on three hits in 1.1 innings of work.
Louisiana posted a season-high 17 hits in the contest with Ishmael Edwards, Brenn Conrad and Hunter Kasuls each posting three hits. Troy also had double-digit hits (11) on the night led by designated hitter Joey Denison who went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.
In the bottom of the second, right fielder Steven Sensley came up with his first outfield assist of the season gunning down catcher Chase Smartt at the plate who tried to score from second on a single by Denison.
The Cajuns used that momentum to explode for four runs on six hits in the top of the third inning to take a 4-0 advantage. With two outs, first baseman Alex Pinero singled to right field to plate Edwards for the first run of the game. Later in the inning, left fielder Kennon Fontenot doubled to right center to plate two more runs. Conrad brought home the final run of the inning on an RBI single to centerfield.
The lead would be short lived though as the Trojans answered with four runs of their own to even the contest at 4-all in the bottom half of the third. A two-run single by Denison highlighted the scoring in the inning.
Troy went in front 5-4 in the bottom half of the fourth on an RBI single up the middle by left fielder Trevor Davis.
After three scoreless frames, freshman Tremaine Spears came up with a big two-out RBI in the top of the eighth singling home Kasuls on a hard hit ball through the right side of the infield.
With one out in the ninth, Fontenot reached on a walk and then moved to second on a ground out by Conrad. In the next at bat, Monica hammered a double to the gap in right center to score Fontenot and put the Cajuns up 6-5.
The Trojans got a one-out single in the ninth by shortstop Matt Sanders, but Moore retired the next two batters he faced to end the game.
The two teams return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. as the contest was moved up due to impending weather. Sophomore right-hander Nick Lee (4-1, 3.49) will take the mound for Louisiana, while left-hander Austin Crook (3-0, 2.18) will make the start for Troy. Fans can listen to the game live on News Talk 96.5 KPEL-FM with Jay Walker and Jeff Schneider making the call.
Bobcats rally back to defeat Mountaineers in 11
BOONE, N.C. – The Texas State baseball team defeated Appalachian State 6-3 in 11 innings at Smith Stadium to kickoff a weekend road Sun Belt Conference series.
The Bobcats (14-8, 3-1 SBC) improved to 11-2 in the month of March, while the Mountaineers dropped to 10-12 overall and 1-3 in the league.
The home club held a 1-0 lead after the first two frames, but sophomore Jacob Almendarez recorded his first extra-base hit of the season and later scored on a single from classmate Jonathan Ortega to square up the contest in the top of the third.
The Mountaineers led off the fifth with a home run and scored an unearned tally in the sixth to secure a 3-1 lead that they would carry all the way into the top of the ninth.
Almendarez led off the frame with an infield single and scored on the first triple of the season from Ortega. He touched home plate on a passed ball to equalize 3-3 and send the contest into extras.
This marked the second straight extra-inning game for Texas State and the fourth of the season. The Bobcats sit 4-0 in extras this year and now have three victories in 2017 when trailing after eight innings.
Both teams combined for just one hit in the 10th without a game winner, and junior Derek Scheible began the 11th when he was hit by a pitch. After Ortega flied out for the second out of the frame, sophomore Ryan Newman recorded an infield single to put runners on first and second. Junior Theodore Hoffman hit a grounder that just narrowly got past the diving shortstop to bring around Scheible, and both Newman and Hoffman later scored on a two-RBI double down the left-field line from junior Luke Sherley.
Sophomore Brayden Theriot struck out all three Mountaineers in the bottom of the 11th to wrap up the series-opening triumph.
The Bobcats belted 17 hits to just 11 from the home side.
Ortega, Hoffman and Sherley all had three hits and combined for five RBIs and two runs scored. Scheible went 2-for-4 with his conference-leading 27th run of the campaign, while Almendarez had a pair of hits and scored twice. Sherley recorded the 100th hit of his career in the game.
Theriot (2-0) picked up his second win on the mound in the last three games after his relief effort helped the Bobcats earn a series victory over then-No. 20 Coastal Carolina (March 19). He tossed the final 3.0 frames against Appalachian State and did not allow a run on just two hits, while tallying four strikeouts and one walk.
Fellow sophomore Connor Reich threw 120 pitches across the first 8.0 innings and left with a no-decision. He conceded three runs (two earned) on nine hits, while fanning 12 Mountaineers and issuing zero walks. The last Bobcat pitcher to register at least 12 strikeouts in a single game was Lucas Humpal on Feb. 21, 2014 (13 vs. UC Riverside).
Reich and Theriot combined for 16 strikeouts, which was the most in a game by the Texas State pitching staff since April 12, 2011 (18 vs. Houston Baptist).
Jason Curtis, Matt Vernon and Brian Bauk all had two hits to pace Appalachian State.
Matt Brill (0-2) tossed 1.2 innings of relief and suffered the loss after allowing the three runs in the 11th inning on three hits. Travis Holden tossed the first 6.2 frames and conceded one run on 11 hits, while earning just one strikeout and walking two.
The projected forecast calls for rain Sunday, so the series is now slated to be completed with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. March 25.
Coastal Carolina Battery Leads Chants to 5-0 win Over Arkansas State
CONWAY, S.C. - Coastal Carolina senior pitcher Alex Cunningham took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, finishing with a one-hit shutout, while catcher Matt Beaird hit his first career home run to lead the Chanticleers to a 5-0 win over Arkansas State in the series opener Friday night at Springs Brooks Stadium.
The Chanticleers improve to 13-9 and 2-2 in the Sun Belt, while the Red Wolves fall to 11-10, 2-2.
Cunningham (3-0) recorded his second career complete-game, struck out 10 and walked two Red Wolves. The one hit he allowed was an infield single to second base with one out in the eighth inning. Cunningham's other complete game came last season versus Presbyterian, a game he also struck out 10 with no walks.
Cunningham's performance was pressure packed as the Chants only managed three hits and were held scoreless through six innings.
Coastal Carolina ended the exciting pitcher's duel with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Dalton Ewing reached on a one-out single and stole second. With two outs, Beaird launched his first career home run, clearing the boardwalk in right field, to give Coastal a 2-0 lead. Billy Cooke was hit by a pitch and Jordan Gore walked. Peyton Isaacson brought the two home after lining a double off the right field fence.
The Chants added an insurance run in the eighth to provide the 5-0 final. Seth Lancaster laid down a one-out bunt, stole second and took third on a throwing error on the play. Ewing walked to put runners on the corners. Pinch hitter Kieton Rivers reached on an error by the Red Wolves, which allowed Lancaster to score.
Bryan Ayers (2-3) was the tough-luck loser. He allowed six hits and four runs in 6.2 innings with three walks and six strikeouts.
The teams will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 pm.
Malcom Throws Complete Game as Trojans Top Warhawks
MONROE, La. – Little Rock baseball (9-13, 2-2 Sun Belt) opened its three-game series at ULM (6-17, 1-3 Sun Belt) with a 5-1 victory on Friday night at Warhawk Field.
Trojan starter Cory Malcom (2-1) earned the win as he threw his second consecutive complete game in Monroe. He struck out four and allowed just one run on seven hits and a walk while throwing 106 pitches. Last season, Malcom threw a complete-game shutout on exactly 100 pitches at ULM.
"What can you say about Cory Malcom?" head coach Chris Curry said. "He's the bulldog, and that's why he's earned the right to pitch on Friday night. When we need a big game from a pitcher, Cory always turns it in. He filled up the zone early and had great defense behind him. There were two times where he had some traffic, and he made big pitches to pitch out of it and minimize the damage."
Hunter Owens was the Trojans' offensive powerhouse as he went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, a home run and a double. Riley Pittman went 1 for 4 with a solo home run to extend his hitting streak to six games. Dalton Thomas advanced his reached-base streak to 21 games as he scored a run, walked once and got on base twice due to two ULM errors.
With the second at-bat of the game, Pittman launched a 1-2 pitch to left for his second home run of the year and gave the Trojans an early 1-0 lead.
Little Rock struck pay dirt again in the top of the fourth. After Thomas got on base with a ULM fielding error, Owens hit a two-run shot to left for his fourth home run of the season.
Down 3-0, ULM finally put a run across in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on the corners and one out, Spencer Hemphill hit an RBI double to right to score Cade Stone.
With Little Rock up 3-1 entering the eighth inning, ULM brought on reliever Chase Cater for starter Josh Leone (1-2). Leone eventually took the loss after throwing 7.0 innings, striking out seven and allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. The Trojans' Zach Baker was hit by a pitch with one out and took second on a failed pickoff attempt by Cater. Baker moved over to third on a ground out before Thomas was intentionally walked to put runners on the corners. As Nik Gifford came on to pinch run for Thomas, Owens struck again with a two-run double to left center to score Baker and Gifford.
Up 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Malcom cruised through ULM's batting order as he allowed just one hit for the rest of the game.
Malcom's win was the 13th of his career — tying for the seventh-most victories in program history.
"That's how we can play, and that's what we're capable of," Curry said. "I'm very curious to see if we'll play with consistency moving forward, and I'm really proud of the guys tonight."
Little Rock will look to win the series at ULM on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Rohrbaugh, Simmons Lead Mavs To 3-2 Win
ARLINGTON, Texas -- After working a complete-game shutout in a win over Georgia Southern a year ago, UTA starting pitcher Kadon Simmons carried a shutout into the seventh inning on Friday, lifting the Mavericks to a 3-2 win over the Eagles in the series opener at Clay Gould Ballpark.
UTA (12-11) rode the right arm of Simmons and a first-inning solo homer from Quintin Rohrbaugh to the series-opening win. UTA got single runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings and fought off a late GS rally to post the win, which marked the 12th time UTA's 23 game season that the Mavs have played a game decided by two runs or less.
ON THE MOUND
A native of Cut & Shoot, Texas, Simmons (2-2) worked 7.2 innings, allowing just five hits and two runs, walking four and throwing 93 pitches. He rolled up two double plays, surrendering just the five singles. It marked the 16th time in 21 career starts he worked into at least the seventh inning, including in 11 of his last 13 starts.
After throwing a complete-game shutout in a win vs. GS in 2016, Simmons extended his personal scoreless streak vs. the Eagles to 15.2 innings, before allowing a RBI groundout in the seventh inning. Overall in his career, Simmons has worked 16.2 innings vs. GS in two starts, allowing only seven hits and two runs.
The Mavs turned to lefty Adam Meyer to face three lefties in the GSU order in the eighth inning. Meyer worked around a two-out walk to strand the tying run on second base to end the eighth.
In the ninth inning, UTA turned to Daniel James - the reigning Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week - for his third save chance. A native of Lubbock, Texas, James retired all three hitters he faced - using just eight pitches - for his third save of the year and the fifth of his career.
GS (12-9, 1-2 Sun Belt) starter Evan Challenger (0-4) took the hard-luck loss despite working a complete game. Challenger allowed seven hits and three runs in eight innings, striking out seven.
AT THE DISH
The Mavs collected seven hits in the game, getting a 2-for-3 outing from Rohrbaugh and a two-hit game from Easton Johnson. The Mavs also got two hits from senior Brady Cox and a knock from Will Olson, with RJ Williams driving in a run with a sacrifice fly.
HOW THEY SCORED
Rohrbaugh got the Mavs on the board in the bottom of the first inning, sending a 1-2 offering over the leftfield fence for a two-out, solo homer. It was Rohrbaugh's third homer of the year and the fifth of his career.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, UTA got a run to take a 2-0 lead. Cox led off with a ringing single through the left side and after Noah Vaughan reached on an error while laying down a sacrifice bunt, Colton Turner moved the pair into scoring position with his first career sac bunt. Williams followed with a sac fly to center, scoring Cox.
The Mavs tacked on with two outs in the sixth inning as Johnson singled to shallow leftfield and Rohrbaugh ripped a single into centerfield. Olson followed with a single into center, allowing Johnson to motor around to score.
NEXT
The series will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark. The Mavs will start junior righty Trae Patterson (1-2, 2.51 ERA) vs. GS sophomore right-hander Brian Eichhorn (1-2, 4.15 ERA). The game will be broadcast live on the UTA Radio Network, available on UTAMavs.com with the Voice of UTA Baseball, Josh Sours, calling the action.
JAGS SHUT OUT PANTHERS BEHIND BELL, EXTEND WIN STREAK TO FOUR
MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama baseball right-hander Randy Bell combined with two Jaguar relievers to shut out Georgia State 7-0 Friday at Stanky Field.
Bell (1-2) tossed seven shutout innings, and allowed just five hits while issuing two walks with a career-high 11 strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. USA right-hander Matt Peacock tossed one perfect inning and struck out three, while Sean Trimble allowed one hit in one inning pitched. GSU right-hander Bryce Conley (2-4) allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts to four walks in five innings pitched in the loss.
"Randy (Bell) was really good," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "That's who he is right there. He has had a few too many walks in there this year, but his changeup is better and that has been the equalizer for him. I am really happy to see him get in the win column. He has pitched well enough to have three wins right now, no question. It was great to get him a win, especially with the effort he gave us tonight. We're really pleased with Randy Bell.
"And (Matt) Peacock is our guy. There is a time late in the game in the last nine outs where the game sometimes tells you that you need to have your best guy in there, and I thought the game was on the line there (in the eighth inning). Bases loaded, you hope you get out of there with just giving up one or two (runs), but Peacock struck out the side and that's just an older guy with a lot of experience and composure. That's what he has been doing for us all year long, and I am glad he went in there and competed his heart out again."
Georgia State (11-11, 1-3 SBC) threatened in the top of the third, but did not produce a run. Jack Thompson drew a leadoff walk, and advanced to second on a bunt single down the third base line by Will Kilgore. A sacrifice bunt by Ryan Blanton moved both runners into scoring position with one out. But Bell recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Justin Jones and Romero Greer to escape the jam and preserve a scoreless tie.
South Alabama (13-9, 3-1 SBC) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second. Will Luft drew a leadoff walk before Eddie Paparella lifted a 1-0 pitch from GSU right-hander Bryce Conley over the left field wall for a two-run home run and 2-0 Jaguar lead.
The Jaguars threatened in the bottom of the fifth, but did not push across a run. Brendan Donovan singled to right field with one out then stole second. Travis Swaggerty followed with a walk before a double steal put both runners in scoring position with one out. But Conley got a popup to third off the bat of Wells Davis for the second out of the frame, and induced an inning-ending groundout by Luft to escape the jam.
USA added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to double its lead. Donovan drew a one-out walk, and moved to second on an infield single to second base by Swaggerty. A walk by Davis loaded the bases for Luft, who delivered a two-run bunt single back to the pitcher on a squeeze play to plate Donovan and Swaggerty and double the Jaguar lead at 4-0.
GSU loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth on a leadoff single by Kilgore, a walk by Blanton and Jones reached on a fielding error by Drew LaBounty at shortstop. But Jaguar right-hander Matt Peacock entered in relief of Bell and struck out the side to end the threat and preserve a four-run USA lead.
South Alabama added the game's final runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jared Barnes, Stokes and Dylan Hardy drew three straight walks to load the bases with no outs. LaBounty followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Barnes and extend the Jaguar lead to 5-0. Donovan and Swaggerty then delivered back-to-back RBI singles through the right side of the infield for the final runs of the contest.
Swaggerty went 2-for-2 with one RBI, one run scored, one stolen base and three walks to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Donovan added two hits, one RBI, one run scored and two stolen bases, and Luft finished with one hit, two RBI and one run scored. Paparella added a home run, two RBI and one run scored. Kilgore went 2-for-3 to lead the Panthers offensively.
The series will continue with game two Saturday at 11 a.m. at Stanky Field.