Crane Shines Again in Troy’s Series-Opening Victory Over ULM
TROY, Alabama – Andrew Crane worked six shutout innings to extend his consecutive scoreless inning streak to 36.2 innings and to lead Troy to a 9-1 victory over ULM in the opening game of the Sun Belt series Friday night at Riddle-Pace Field.
Crane (6-1) struck out six and scattered only three hits in his six innings of work to give Troy (28-21, 13-12) its fourth consecutive Friday night win.
Matt Sanders, Mason Rogers and Chase Smartt each went 3-for-5 in the game and drove in a combined five runs for the Trojans – Sanders (1), Rogers (3) and Smartt (1).
Brandon Lockridge (2-for-5) and Trevor Davis (2-for-5) turned in multi-hit games, as well, to aid Troy's 15-hit performance – Davis ripped his first career triple in the fourth inning to put the Trojans on the board.
ULM (12-38, 6-19) got a hot start from Chase Beal (3-7), who allowed only two hits and fanned four in the first three innings of the game. However, Beal suffered the loss after giving up four runs on five hits in four innings of work.
Cade Stone led the Warhawks at the plate with a 1-for-3 day that included a walk.
QUOTABLE
"I've run out of adjectives to describe what he does for our team," Troy head coach Mark Smartt. "Our defense is playing above their head to help keep the games scoreless, as well. The streak has inspired our team. I like the way we're swinging the bats right now; our lineup is starting to lengthen out and is getting hot at the right time."
"It gave me a lot of confidence to know that my defense is behind me making plays," Andrew Crane said about his scoreless inning streak. "Coach told me to quit nibbling and just throw the ball; it worked."
"I haven't been chasing anything out of the zone," right fielder Mason Rogers said about his recent success at the plate. "I've been waiting on my pitch and figuring out how to drive it. I believe we're getting hot; we've had a dominant pitching staff all year and our hitting is coming around."
SOUND "SMARTT" WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• Catcher Chase Smartt threw out potential base stealers in both the first and second innings; he has now thrown out 13 runners on 42 stolen base attempts this season (31.0 percent).
• Andrew Crane extended his consecutive scoreless inning streak to 36.2 innings with six shutout innings against the Warhawks. Crane struck out six and scattered three hits. In five starts, - 37 IP, 2 ER, 0.49 ERA, 20 H (4.9/9), 38 Ks (9.2/9), 9 BB (2.2)
• Steven Whitaker stole his team-leading 19th base of the season in the fifth inning, it is the most stolen bases by a Trojan since Clay Holcomb stole 23 bases during the 2015 season.
• Trevor Davis ripped his first-career triple in the fourth inning of the game; it drove home Justin Friend for Troy's first run of the game. He added a double for his team-leading 21st extra-base hit of the season.
• Chase Smartt drove in a run and finished with three hits in the ball game for his ninth multi-hit and fourth three-hit game of the season.
• Mason Rogers continued his hot hitting with three more hits for his fifth straight game with multiple hits. Rogers has raised his batting average from .218 to .283 since April 29 as he has multiple hits in six of the last seven games.
• Brandon Lockridge added two more hits to push his Sun Belt leading total to 74 on the season; he has hit safely in 45-of-49 games this year and has multiple hits 25 different games.
WHAT'S UP NEXT?
Troy will go for the series win behind the arm of senior lefty Austin Crook (5-2, 3.72). First pitch for game two is set for 3 p.m. Saturday.
Cajuns Baseball Wins Back-And-Forth Affair Against Texas State In Series Opener
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team bested Texas State 8-7 on Friday night in a back-and-forth affair at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park to open the final home series of the year.
The win is the third straight for the Cajuns and improves the club to 31-19-1 overall and 15-9-1 in the Sun Belt Conference, while Texas State drops to 24-26 on the season and 10-15 in league play.
"This was a battle between two good teams," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "They can swing the bat, and we are very fortunate to come away with this one. Steven (Sensley) really swung the bat well tonight. Gunner (Leger) wasn't Gunner, but that just goes to show you how good he has been throughout his career. We were fortunate that we were able to overcome two momentum changes in the game. They are a good team, and they're not going to go away. We are going to have to play well to win this series."
The Ragin' Cajuns won their third game of the year in which they were outhit by the opponent as the Bobcats had a 9-8 edge in hits. Zach LaFleur, Steven Sensley and Joe Robbins each had a pair of hits in the game for Louisiana.
Sensley extended his on base streak to 20 games in the contest as he reached in four of his five plate appearances driving in two runs while scoring two more. Robbins had a career night as he became the 17th player in program history to post two doubles in a game. The senior drove in three runs on the night and also drew two walks.
Starter Gunner Leger went five innings giving up a season-high five runs on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts in a no decision.
Junior Dylan Moore (2-1) picked up his second win of the season in relief tossing 1.2 perfect innings with two strikeouts to close out the contest, while Connor Reich (2-5) was tagged with the loss for Texas State after giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks.
Both teams threated in the first inning loading the bases with one out, but neither club would scratch across a run in the frame.
In the top of the second, Dylan Paul doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning and then moved to third base on a sac bunt by Flipe Rodriguez. In the next at bat, Jacob Almendarez brought home Paul on a suicide squeeze bunt to put the Bobcats up 1-0.
The Ragin' Cajuns answered in the bottom half of the second when Brad Antchak scored on a wild pitch by starter Wes Engle with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-all. Later in the inning, Brenn Conrad drew a bases-loaded walk from reliever Brandon Lewis to put the Cajuns up 2-1. In the next at bat, Sensley drove a single through the left side of the infield to plate Handsome Monica and extend the lead to 3-1.
Texas State cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI single to left field by Derek Scheible, but Robbins answered in the bottom half of the frame with a two-out, two-run triple to right center to give Louisiana a 5-2 advantage.
The Bobcats tied the game for the second time on the evening in the top of the fifth on a three-run homer to left by Luke Sherley to make the score 5-all.
Robbins put the Cajuns back in front 6-5 in the top of the sixth on a two-out RBI triple to left center.
Texas State wouldn't go away quietly though regaining the lead for the first time since the second inning on a pair of solo home runs by Rodriguez and Scheible to take a 7-6 edge in the top of the eight.
The lead would be short lived though as the Cajuns rallied in the bottom half of the eighth on an RBI double to right center by Sensley to score pinch-runner Hunter Kasuls from first base to even the contest at 7-all. With the bases loaded and one out, Sensley came home to score on a throwing error by second baseman Jonathan Ortega who was trying to turn a double play at first base on a line out by Antchak.
Moore tossed a perfect ninth inning striking out Ryan Newman to end the game and keep the win streak alive.
Louisiana and Texas State return to action tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Russo Park as the Ragin' Cajuns look to take the series. The Cajuns will honor the nine seniors on the squad before the contest as it will be Senior Day. Junior left-hander Colten Schmidt (1-1, 3.21 ERA) will make the start for Louisiana in the game.
Eagle Baseball Tames Arkansas State on Friday Night, 7-4
STATESBORO, GA. - Georgia Southern plated four runs in the seventh inning to push past Arkansas State, 7-4 on Friday night. Tyler Martin led the way with a 3-for-3 day at the plate while Mason McWhorter drove in two runs and the bottom two hitters in the Eagle lineup combined for four hits. The Eagles and Red Wolves play game two of the weekend series on Saturday night at 6:30 pm
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Rodney Hennon
"The guys hung in there and the bullpen picked us up tonight. I thought Jacob Condra-Bogan gave us a very nice effort and we were fortunate to get the four run inning late. I thought that Jordan (Wren) did a nice job executing the bunt and we were able to take advantage of a mistake there. After that, Landon Hughes did a nice job to finish it off."
SCORING PLAYS
Top 2nd - ASU 2 - GS 0 - Arkansas State drew first blood with a two run home run in the second inning to run out to an early lead. Derek Birginske hit his second home run of the season to put the visitors on the board
Bot 2nd - ASU 2 - GS 1 - A two out double from Evan McDonald opened the door for the Eagles to steal a run in the second. C.J. Brazil singled to left to drive in McDonald, but was cut down for the third out at second base trying to stretch a single into a double.
Bot 3rd - ASU 2 - GS 2 - Georgia Southern tied the game at 2-2 in the second. After singles by Steven Curry and Tyler Martin, Mason McWhorter singled to the gap in right, plating Curry from second.
Top 5th - ASU 3 - GS 2 - The Red Wolves strung together three hits in the fifth off starting pitcher Evan Challenger to re-take the lead at 3-2. Grand Hawkins drove in the run with a single to right.
Bot 5th - ASU 3 - GS 3 - The Eagles answered immediately in the home half of the fifth to tie the game for a second time in the game. Tyler Martin's one out double set up McWhorter to drive the run in with two outs.
Top 6th - ASU 4 - GS 3 - A double and a single with one out in the sixth ended Challenger's day, but a sacrifice fly after his exit brought Arkansas State's fourth run in from third base to give the visitors their third lead of the game.
Bot 7th - ASU 4 - GS 7 - After an open frame in the sixth, Georgia Southern got to the ASU bullpen with four runs off three hits, and error and three walks. Ryan Cleveland's double started things off, while an error on Jordan Wren's bunt single allowed the Eagles to tie the game. A bases loaded walk to Cal Baker, followed by Logan Baldwin's sacrifice fly and McDonald's RBI single brought three more runs in as the Eagles posted their first lead of the day.
GAME NOTES
- Reliever Jacob Condra-Bogan worked two innings of one hit relief to pick up his first win in nearly a month. The graduate student from Woodruff, S.C. fanned two and did not allow a run to improve to 5-2 on the season. The win was his first victory since April 13th in the opener of the Appalachian State series.
- Tyler Martin had a 3-for-3 day, posting a career-high hits with two runs scored. The Eagle designated hitter had two doubles and was issued two walks in the game.
- Freshman Mason McWhorter drove in two runs and went 2-for-3 at the dish with a walk.
- Evan McDonald and C.J. Brazil anchored the Eagle lineup in the No. 8 and No. 9 slots, going 2-for-4 with an RBI each. McDonald also scored a run.
- Senior Landon Hughes earned his eighth save of the season, getting three strikeouts on 18 pitches in the ninth inning. The senior fireballer has not lost a decision since the opening day of the season and the Eagles have won his last 14 appearances.
NEXT UP
Game two between Georgia Southern and Arkansas State is scheduled for Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on GS All-Access at GSEagles.com with live radio coverage of the Georgia Southern Sports Network
No. 29 Coastal Holds On for 5-4 Win at #24 UTA
ARLINGTON, Texas - Billy Cooke's three-run home run in the fourth inning to give #29 Coastal Carolina a 5-0 lead proved to be the difference as the Chanticleers held of #24 UTA, 5-4, Friday night at Clay Gould Ballpark. Coastal improves to 32-17-1 overall, 17-7-1 Sun Belt while Sun Belt West Division leader UTA falls to 29-19, 19-6.
Alex Cunningham (6-2) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth before leaving the game in the seventh inning. Will Latcham pitched 2.2 innings scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out five, to close the game and earn his third save.
Jordan Gore, Josh Crump and Matt Beaird led the CCU offense, each with two hits. Gore was 2-for-4 with a double off the centerfield wall. Crump was 2-fo-3 and drove in CCU's first two runs. Beiard was 2-for-3 as well.
Coastal took control early, scoring twice in the second. Kieton Rivers and Seth Lancaster each walked to start the frame. After moving up 90 feet on a Peyton Isaacson sacrifice bunt, Crump lined the first pitch he saw to center field to bring home both Rivers and Lancaster for the 2-0 lead.
Crump figured in CCU getting on the board again. With two outs, the junior walked and moved to second on a Beaird infield single. Cooke then cleared the bases with a three-run home run over the left-center field wall to give the Chants a 5-0 advantage. The blast was Cooke's eighth of the season.
UTA threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Cunningham, who retired the first nine Maverick batters in order, walked the leadoff hitter in the fourth. After an out, Omar Salinas singled and Will Olson walked to load the bases. Cunningham responded by inducing a pop out and struck out Noah Vaughan looking to escape unscathed.
The Mavericks finally broke through with two runs in the sixth. Salinas has a one-out single and, after a fly out, Quintin Rohrbaugh hit a two-run home run to left field to cut the UTA deficit to three, 5-2.
Back-to-back, one-out doubles in the seventh by UTA's Easton Johnson and RJ Williams made the score 5-3. Then with two outs, Salinas lined an RBI single just beyond the reach of Wood Myers to bring home Williams to make it a one-run game.
After allowing the inherited runner to score, Latcham worked a 1-2-3 eighth. In the ninth did allow a one-out hit, but struck out two and got a ground out to end the game.