JAGS COMPLETE SWEEP OF ULM BEHIND CARR
MONROE, La. – Jaguar right-hander Tyler Carr turned in his second quality start of the season to lead the University of South Alabama baseball team to an 8-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe Sunday at Warhawk Field to sweep the three-game series.
Carr (3-1) allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and one walk in seven innings pitched to earn his third win of the season. ULM right-hander Derek Martin (0-1) allowed one run on three hits in one inning pitched in the loss.
"I would sign up for seven innings and three runs (allowed) every Sunday," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "The wind was blowing out 15 to 20 miles per hour, and I thought Tyler (Carr) did a really good job. He will take some hitters off and let his guard down a little bit and he has paid for it a couple of times. But he has really good stuff; he was 90 to 93 early (in the game) with a good breaking ball.
"One of the things I asked him to do in the middle of the week was be able to throw his breaking ball for strikes more consistently, either early in the count or in some fastball counts and he has done a really nice job of that. He threw some first-pitch breaking balls in there as well as in some 1-0, 2-0 and 2-1 counts, enough to keep some guys off balance. And he had enough fastball through the first five or six innings where he was hard to square up. His changeup is much improved against lefties. He has been a reliever the last two years and we are starting him now. You see improvement and he got the win. I'm proud of his effort; he competed for us. If you have a guy go seven innings and allow just three runs on a windy day on a Sunday, then I would sign up for it every single time. Tyler did a really nice job today."
South Alabama (19-13, 9-3 SBC) took a one-run lead in the top of the first inning on a one-out solo home run to right field by Brendan Donovan. Drew LaBounty and Travis Swaggerty followed with consecutive singles, before Eddie Paparella reached on a hit by pitch to load the bases with one out. But ULM right-hander Derek Martin rolled a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Carter Perkins to escape the jam without further damage.
USA put the first two runners on base in the top of the third on back-to-back singles by Dylan Hardy and Donovan. Swaggerty delivered a one-out RBI single to center field later in the inning to score Donovan and double the Jaguar lead at 2-0. A double steal by LaBounty and Swaggerty moved both runners into scoring position before Paparella drew a walk to load the bases for Carter Perkins, who delivered a two-run single back up the middle to score LaBounty and Swaggerty for a 4-0 USA advantage.
The Jags extended their lead by a run in the top of the fourth inning. Jared Barnes drew a leadoff walk, and scored on an RBI double to the left-center gap by Hunter Stokes for a 5-0 lead.
Perkins and Will Luft drew consecutive two-out walks in the top of the fifth before Barnes delivered an RBI single to right-center field to plate Perkins and push the USA lead to 6-0.
Hardy reached on hit by pitch to lead off the top of the sixth, stole second and moved to third on a groundout to first by Donovan. LaBounty followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Hardy for a 7-0 Jaguar advantage.
Carter Perkins led off the top of the seventh with a triple off the left-center field wall. Luft reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners with no outs. Barnes followed with an RBI single to right field to score Perkins and push the USA lead to 8-0. Hardy drew a one-out walk to load the bases.
ULM answered with the final runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out, three-run home run to left field by Tyler Cox.
Swaggerty tied his career high in hits, finishing 4-for-5 with an RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Donovan finished 3-for-6 with a home run, one RBI and two runs scored. Perkins went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored, and Barnes finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
"The game starts and stops on the mound and with defense," Calvi said. "It always has and it always will, and we're no different. The double-digit hit total is fantastic, but we left too many men on base today and we didn't do a great job of situational hitting early on. But I thought I our guys were locked in and made the opposing pitcher work. They worked to get good pitches and ran pitch counts up. They wore some guys down and then they (ULM) made some mistakes, then put good swings on the ball. I'm happy with the win today. I thought we could have done more offensively, but there is no question I will take it. I am proud of the guys. Once again we had some two-strike and two-out hits. You want to see your guys compete in there every single pitch, use the whole field, adjust and understand what the opposing pitcher is trying to do to them and our guys have done a nice job of that."
USA will return to action Tue., April 10, with a 6:30 p.m. contest at New Orleans.
Crane; Skinner Combine to Shutout Georgia Southern
TROY, Alabama – Andrew Crane struck out a career-high seven batters in 8.1 shutout innings as Troy bounced back to win Sunday's Sun Belt series finale, 4-0, over Georgia Southern at Riddle-Pace Field.
Crane (1-1) earned his first career win in only his second career start – scattering only three hits and allowing only two walks. He turned the ball over to Marc Skinner with one out in the ninth, who was able to close out the game on the mound.
Brandon Lockridge and Matt Sanders led the Trojans (16-14, 5-7) at the plate – each turned in 2-for-4 performances. Drew Frederic made numerous plays on both sides of the ball, making key defensive plays in the field and driving in the final run with an eighth inning double off the Troy Bank & Trust target on the right field wall.
Georgia Southern (20-12, 7-5) was held to only six base runners in the game on four hits – four singles by four different Eagles.
Chase Cohen (2-3) suffered the loss after allowing three runs on six hits and three walks in six innings of work.
QUOTABLE
"It's hard to lose if you don't give up a run," Troy head coach Mark Smartt said. "I was really proud of Andrew; he made it to the ninth and he was just cruising. I'm proud of our team for staying with it on Sunday after dropping the first two for the second week in a row."
"I just wanted to give us a chance to win," starter Andrew Crane said. "I was comfortable, Chase called a great game and we went right after them. I got tired in the ninth but I trusted Skinner to come in and close the game out for me."
"He was up there competing the whole time," freshman Drew Frederic said about Crane. "I enjoy playing behind him because you know he's going to throw strikes and give us chances to make plays."
SOUND "SMARTT" WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• Second baseman Brandon Lockridge extended his hitting streak to 15 games and has now reached base in all 30 of Troy's games this season after he led off the second inning with a single.
• Sophomore Brandon Lockridge recorded his team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the season and 29th of his career as he went 2-for-4 on Sunday.
• Junior Matt Sanders recorded his second multi-hit game of the weekend, 11th of the season and 41st of his career after he went 2-for-4 with a double on Sunday.
• Troy starter Andrew Crane registered career-highs in innings pitched with 8.1 and with seven strikeouts; his previous highs were 4.2 innings and five strikeouts.
• Troy had four doubles in the game, which is tied for the Trojans' second-highest output of the season. Troy had five doubles in the finale against Hofstra and four two-baggers in its big victory over Alabama on Tuesday night.
• Marc Skinner made his 97th career appearance on the mound moving him within five of tying Nate Hill for the all-time Troy record; Skinner is one appearance shy of Thomas Austin for second place.
WHAT'S UP NEXT?
Troy will travel to Montgomery Tuesday for a mid-week tilt with Alabama State. First pitch from Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex is set for 6 p.m.
@AStateBaseball Sweeps Georgia State with 10-5 Win
JONESBORO, Ark. (4/9/17) – The Arkansas State baseball team raced out to a 9-2 advantage after three innings and held on for a 10-5 victory over Georgia State Sunday afternoon at Tomlinson Stadium to give A-State a conference series sweep.
The Red Wolves moved their record to 18-14 overall and 7-5 in conference play with their first home sweep of a Sun Belt Conference opponent since sweeping ULM at Tomlinson Stadium last season. Georgia State falls to 11-20 on the year and 1-11 in league play.
The Panthers plated the game’s first run on a single by Nick Gatewood in the top of the first, but A-State countered with three in the bottom half on a bases-loaded walk, RBI ground out, and error. Georgia State responded with a run in the top of the second on a RBI fielder’s choice to cut into the Red Wolves edge to make the score 3-2.
However, Arkansas State struck back quickly with a four spot to take a 7-2 advantage after two. Two runners scored on an error by the Panthers before Justin Felix singled another home. The final run of the inning came on a RBI ground out by Jake Bakamus, his second of the game. The home team added two more runs in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Joe Schrimpf and run-scoring base hit by Garrett Rucker.
Gatewood singled home a run in the top of the fifth for the Panthers to make the score 9-3 before the Red Wolves got the run back in sixth inning when Bakamus scored on a wild pitch. The Panthers added another couple of runs on another hit by Gatewood in the seventh to set the score at 10-5, which would go on to be the final.
Tyler Mitzel earned the first win of his A-State career after allowing five runs (all earned) on six hits in a career-best 6.2 innings. Tanner Kirby and Tyler Zuber combined to throw 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to end the game.
A-State tallied eight hits on the afternoon and also walked nine teams. The Red Wolves stole eight bases for the most in a single game in the last 16 years and two shy of the school record. Grant Hawkins and Bakamus stole two each and Arkansas State now has 53 steals as a team, which has already surpassed last year’s total of 48. Hawkins led the team with two hits, while Rucker and Bakamus each drove in two runs.
The GSU designated hitter, Gatewood, had an impressive day at the plate as he recorded three hits and four RBI. Jack Thompson had the other RBI for the Panthers. Starter Tanner Thomson, who was charged with the loss, only lasted 1+ innings on the bump and allowed five runs (four earned) on two hits with four walks and two punch outs. Tyler Elwer allowed four runs out of the bullpen for Georgia State in two innings.
Arkansas State returns to action Tuesday, April 11 in a midweek contest at regional rival Memphis. First pitch from FedExPark is set for 6 p.m.
Mavs Sweep Appalachian State, Stay In First
BOONE, N.C. -- Jakob Hernandez fired six innings and allowed one earned run, helping lead UTA to a 6-5 win at Appalachian State, sweeping the three-game series, on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Beaver Field at Smith Stadium.
UTA (17-16, 8-4 Sun Belt Conference) rallied from behind in the middle innings and held off a ninth-inning charge from Appalachian State (12-20, 3-9 Sun Belt) to earn its first series sweep in conference play of the year.
The Mavs vault into sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt Conference Western Division, just ahead of Louisiana (7-4-1), which tied its finale with Coastal Carolina on Sunday.
ON THE MOUND
A native of Parker, Colo., Hernandez (3-0) tossed his fifth quality start of the season, working six innings, allowing three hits and three runs - one earned - walking three and striking out eight. With the leadoff runner reaching in the seventh inning, UTA turned to senior Austin Gardner in relief.
Gardner worked into the ninth inning, tossing two innings, allowing one run and one walk, striking out two. With the first two hitters reaching to open the bottom of the ninth inning, Daniel James entered from the bullpen. James got the final three outs of the game, working around a run allowed, to earn his seventh save of the year.
Appalachian State starter Luke Watts (1-3) worked 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits and five runs, walking one and striking out three. ASU also used Reed Howell and Matt Brill in relief.
AT THE DISH
UTA had 12 hits in the win, including two-hit games from Phil Berthiaume, Omar Salinas, Will Olson and Noah Vaughan. RJ Williams drove in a pair with a double, with Quintin Rohrbaugh, Brady Cox and Aaron Funk each adding knocks.
HOW THEY SCORED
UTA opened the scoring for the third straight game, plating a pair of runs in the top of the second inning for an early 2-0 lead. Cox and Vaughan sparked the rally with two-strike hits through the right side. Williams then spanked a two-run double down the leftfield line, scoring Cox and Vaughan.
The Mountaineers got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, getting a leadoff full-count walk from Jared McCarver and a single from Conner Leonard to open the frame. After a sacrifice bunt, Jason Curtis hung a sac fly to rightfield to score McCarver. Matt Vernon then chopped into a UTA throwing error, with Leonard scoring from first as the ball skidded to the fence behind the first base bag. Drake Zupcic then singled to leftfield to score Vernon for a 32 lead.
The Mavs regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning, with Olson starting the frame with a single through the left side. After a Vaughan 3-2 walk, Berthiaume pounded a single to centerfield, with the attempted sliding stop getting by the centerfielder, scoring the pair for a 4-3 lead. With the infield playing in and one out, Funk singled into leftfield, scoring Berthiaume.
The Mavs added on in the eighth inning as Vaughan reached on a bunt single and while on third with two outs and Williams at first, UTA executed the delayed steal, with Vaughan sliding in headfirst ahead of the tag.
In the bottom of the ninth, ASU rallied to load the bases with an infield hit and two walks with no outs. After a 1-2-3 double play, Avery Jackson singled into leftfield to score a pair to make it 6-5.
LR Wins Series in Comeback Victory Over TXST
LITTLE ROCK – An eighth-inning comeback gave Little Rock baseball (12-20, 5-7 Sun Belt) its first Sun Belt series victory of 2017 with a 6-5 win over Texas State (20-13, 7-5) on Sunday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
The Trojans' series win was the fourth consecutive against the Bobcats. Until today, Little Rock had never won more than three straight series against a Sun Belt opponent.
"I could not be more proud of these guys and the fight they continue to show," head coach Chris Curry said. "The first half of the season didn't go our way, much to our fault, but you just saw how much they still believe and believe in each other. We keep challenging them to bring it every day."
Zach Baker had the biggest day of anyone as the senior went 3 for 4 with two home runs and three RBIs. Baker was the first Trojan to hit two home runs in a game since Ryan Scott last year at Louisiana. Jonathan Davis went 2 for 4 with a couple of RBIs and a run. Ty Gunter was 1 for 3 with an RBI and was hit by a pitch.
Trojan reliever Dylan Slayton (3-1) earned the win in 2.2 innings of work as he struck out three and allowed four hits and two walks. Starter Chandler Fidel took the no-decision as he went six innings, struck out six and allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. Bobcat reliever Blake Walden (5-1) picked up his first loss of the season after giving up three runs (one earned) on one hit and three walks. Texas State starter Nicholas Fraze went 6.1 innings, struck out four and allowed three runs on six hits and two walks.
The Bobcats' Teddy Hoffman was a perfect 4 for 4 with a home run. Ryan Newman was the only other Texas State player with multiple hits as he went 2 for 5 with a couple of RBIs and a run.
For the third consecutive game of the series, Texas State scored a run in the very first inning. After Luke Sherley doubled and stole third with one out, Newman hit an RBI single up the middle.
The Trojans knotted the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second with Baker's fourth home run of the season winding up over the left field wall.
The Bobcats got some help from Little Rock in the top of the third as the Trojans allowed a bases-loaded walk to Mickey Scott with two outs.
Texas State went up 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning as Hoffman sent a 3-1 pitch over the left-center field wall.
The Bobcats furthered their lead in the top of the seventh with a couple of runs on two hits. After Sherley walked with one out, Newman hit an RBI double to left center. With runners on the corners, Jaylen Hubbard reached on fielder's choice as Newman scored what ended up being Texas State's final run.
The Trojans' comeback bid began in the bottom of the seventh. With one on and one out, Baker belted his second homer of the day and fifth of the season over the left field wall.
Down 5-3 entering the bottom of the eighth, a one-out double by Cameron Knight put runners on first and second. Davis then came through as he delivered a two-run single up the middle to tie the game at 5-5. Danny Mitchell Jr. came on to pinch run for Davis and advanced to second as Cale Ridling walked. With two outs, Gunter singled through the left side to score Mitchell for the go-ahead run. Mitchell was originally out at home, but was then ruled safe as interference was called after he was tripped up by Hubbard at third.
Texas State loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with two outs as Jonathan Ortega was intentionally walked. Jared Huber then hit into a fielder's choice as Baker tossed the ball to Gifford at second for the final out.
"It's really gratifying for the players because they work so hard, and they're playing hard," Curry said. "Finally, it's starting to come to them a little bit, and I hope we keep it going."
Little Rock will wrap up its eight-game homestand against Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday at 6 p.m., before heading to UT Arlington for a three-game series beginning on Thursday.
#26 Coastal Carolina Ties #20 Louisiana, 7-7; Ties Series
CONWAY - Coastal Carolina and Louisiana split the first two games of the weekend series and could not decide the winner of the rubber match as the 26th-ranked Chanticleers and 20th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns tied 7-7 after nine innings Sunday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium. The teams, tied after eight innings, both scored two runs in the ninth, but a travel curfew forced the game to end. (Prior to the game, it was determined no inning would start after 2 pm.)
Coastal (20-11-1 overall, 8-3-1 Sun Belt) records its first tie since 1983, its first in year 22 under head coach Gary Gilmore -- and just the second in program history. Louisiana (18-13-1, 7-4-1) registers just their second tie in this the 23rd year of head coach Tony Robicheaux's tenure at UL.
Down 5-0 after three innings, Louisiana scored a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the eighth to knot the game at 5-5.
The ninth inning began just four minutes before the curfew deadline of 2 pm, which allowed the teams to play out what proved to be the final frame.
The Ragin' Cajuns scored a quick run to start the ninth inning as Brad Antchak hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ishmael Edwards and scored on an RBI single by Brenn Conrad. Joe Robbins moved Edwards and Conrad up to third and second, respectively, on a sacrifice bunt. The played key as a wild pitch on an attempted intentional walk allowed Edwards to score to put UL up 7-5.
Undaunted, Coastal, which scored for runs in the ninth to win 9-8 Saturday, got a leadoff double from Billy Cooke. Two batters later, Jordan Gore singled and a walk to Kevin Woodall Jr., loaded the bases with one out. Peyton Isaacson lined a single to center to drive in Cooke while a misplay in the outfield allowed Gore to score and tie the game. With runners on first and second, Dalton Ewing had a good at bat, facing nine pitches and just missing a potential game-winning hit down the left field line that hooked just foul. Ewing gathered himself before hitting a line drive to third. Robbins snagged the hot shot and was able to turn a double play at second to end the contest.
Cooke (3-for-4 with a HR) and Gore (3-for-4 with two doubles) paced the Chanticleer offense. Woodall was 1-for-1, hitting a three-run home run, with four walks. Keiton Rivers added two hits.
In games one and two, it was Louisiana that got on the scoreboard first with home runs. Sunday, Coastal's Cooke broke into the scoring column with a two-run blast in the third inning. The home run marked Cooke's sixth of the year and he drove in Rivers, who started the frame with a leadoff single. Cory Wood followed with a walk and Gore hit his second double in an may at bats. Woodall then hit his 12th home run of the season and the three-run dinger gave CCU a 5-0 lead.
The Ragin Cajuns answered with a run in the top of the fourth. Edwards doubled to right-center field, moved to third on a ground out and scored on an RBI ground out by Robbins.
Louisiana chipped away in the fifth inning, scoring twice. With one out, UL loaded the bases on a hit batter, double and walk. Antchak found a hole on the right side of the infield to drive in Todd Lott. Edwards followed with an RBI single back up the middle to plate Alex Pinero to make the score 5-3. The Cajuns threatened for more as Conrad roped a line drive. However, CCU's Gore caught the line drive and doubled off Edwards at second to limit the damage.
A leadoff error, a hit batter and three walks by Coastal led to Louisiana tying the game in the top of the eighth. Edwards started the eighth by reaching on an error. After a ground out and pop out, pinch hitter Steven Sensley singled and Kennon Fontenot was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lott and Pinero drew back-to-back RBI walks to tie the game at 5-5. With bases still loaded, Austin Kitchen came out of the bullpen and induced an inning-ending ground out to keep the game tied.
Zack Hopeck started and lasted 4.1 innings. He allowed two hits and three runs with no walks and three strikeouts. Bobby Holmes pitched 3.1 innings in relief, allowing four hits and two unearned runs. Kitchen worked the final 1.1 innings and surrendered two runs on two hits.
Coastal will hit the road for a five-game road trip, starting Tuesday at nationally-ranked Wake Forest. First pitch in Winston-Salem, N.C., is set for 6 pm. The Chanticleers will then go directly to South Alabama for a three-game series that will be played Thursday (6:30 pm CT), Friday (6:30 pm CT) and Saturday (1 pm CT).