Trojans Double Up Bobcats, 6-3, To Take Series Opener
SAN MARCOS, Texas - Little Rock picks up its third victory in a row with a 6-3 win over Texas State Thursday night in game one of the series at Bobcat Ballpark. The Trojans are now 15-10 on the year and improve to 5-2 in conference to stay atop in the Sun Belt Western division.
Little Rock found itself in a slightly different position than it had in recent games – leading. The Trojans opened scoring in the third inning with three runs off of five singles and an error. James Gann began it with a single up the middle prompting Ryan Benavidez to follow with one of his own to left field.
Chase Coker then reached on a throwing error which scored Benavidez and Gann to put Little Rock up 2-0. After Matt Merino hit a single to put Coker on second, Troy Alexander hit one down the right-field line to score Coker.
The Bobcats would score two in the third and one in the fifth to tie the game, but the Trojans regained the lead with two runs in the sixth.
Coker and Merino led off with hits to put them on first and second. Alexander then tallied his second RBI of the day with single to right field to score Coker, advancing Merino to third. Kale Emshoff would hit into a double play, but he was able to score Merino in the process to push the lead to 5-3.
Little Rock increased the lead to three in the top of the seventh after Nick Perez led things off with a double. Gann single to score Perez for his eighth RBI in the last five games, registering at least one RBI in each.
Starting pitcher Chandler Fidel lasted through the sixth inning and got his second win in as many series, improving to 4-2 on the year. He allowed only two earned-runs off of six hits, three walks and striking out two before handing the ball off to Donavin Buck.
Buck maintained the Little Rock lead as in his two innings worked he scattered three hits while striking out two, handing the ball off to Justin Garcia in the ninth. Garcia then did what he does best, striking out the Bobcat side to register his sixth save of the season, pushing his strikeout total to 50 in 29.3 innings pitched.
At the plate, Little Rock finished with 11 hits on the evening, led by a 3-for-4 performance from Benavidez with a run scored. Merino, Alexander and Gann each had a pair of hits for the Trojans with Alexander's two RBI upping his season total to a team-best 28, hitting .390 on the year.
Little Rock will try to clinch its fourth-straight series Friday evening when the Trojans and Bobcats meet in game two of the weekend series. First pitch from Bobcat Park is scheduled for 6 p.m.
@AStateBaseball Walks-Off Louisiana in Extra Innings
JONESBORO, Ark. (3/29/18) – Arkansas State designated hitter Caleb Squire cashed in a bases loaded opportunity in the bottom of the 12th inning to send the Red Wolves to an 8-7 victory over Louisiana Thursday evening at Tomlinson Stadium in the series opener.
The Red Wolves rallied from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and continued to put runners in scoring position in extra innings before Squire stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs and was hit by the first pitch he saw from Grant Cox that scored Kyle MacDonald for the game-winning run.
It was the third walk-off win for the Red Wolves this season and the second time the squad has won on a walk-off hit-by-pitch.
MacDonald led off the bottom of the inning with an HBP and Jeremy Brown followed with a sacrifice bunt, but reached safely on a throwing error by Cox that allowed MacDonald to advance to third. An intentional walk to Tobias Johnson loaded the bases to set up the winning run.
Arkansas State trailed 7-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning but rallied to tie the game thanks to some timely hitting. MacDonald drove in a run with a double to left center and Johnson later singled in a run to get within 7-6. Andrew Leggo provided the game-tying RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Red Wolves had an opportunity to win the game later in the inning when it had the bases loaded with two outs, but failed to produce the go-ahead hit.
Bo Ritter helped A-State work out of a jam in the 10th inning with Zach LaFleur led off the inning with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a sac bunt. The Ragin’ Cajuns then attempted a safety squeeze to score LaFleur, but the bunt attempt was missed and LaFleur was tagged out in a run down to end the threat.
Ritter earned the win after coming into the game in the 10th frame in relief of Coulton Lee. Ritter pitched the final 2.2 innings and struck out two. Bradey Welsh started the game and was brilliant in his first six innings of work. He struck out a career-high 10 and gave up three earned runs and walked two.
Winston Welch led A-State the plate and reached base all six times he batted. He went 5-for-5 with two RBIs and hit his third home run of the season with a solo shot in the seventh inning.
Brown and Casey Vaughan each finished the night with three hits each, while Cullen Ray added a hit and two RBIs.
The series continues Friday night at Kell Field with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. The game will air on ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN App.
No. 20 Coastal Carolina Opens Georgia Southern Series with 7-3 Win
STATESBORO, Ga. - Jason Bilous struck out a career-high 10 and three Chanticleers hit home runs to lead #20 Coastal Carolina to a 7-3 victory at Georgia Southern Thursday night at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Coastal improves to 20-8 overall, 7-0 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Eagles, which tied a season high by committing four errors that led to four unearned runs, fall to 12-13, 5-2 in the league. The two teams will meet for game two of the series on Friday at 6:30 pm.
Bilous (4-0) struggled early, loading the bases thanks to a hit batter and two walked before allowing a two-run single in the first inning. However, after allowing that hit, Bilous got 20 outs versus his next 24 batters, allowing an unearned run, two hits, a hit batter and a walk while ringing up 10 Georgia Southern batters before exiting after six innings.
Matt Eardensohn picked up his second save as he pitched three scoreless innings to close the game, scattering three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Offensively, Seth Lancaster, Zach Biermann and Kevin Woodall Jr., each hit home runs. CCU's first three batters, Cory Wood, Lancaster and Woodall each had two hits, while Biermann and Woodall each had two RBI.
Despite getting a leadoff single (by Wood) and double (by Lancaster) in the top of the first, Coastal could not convert. In the bottom of the first, Georgia Southern was able take advantage of its base runners. After loading the bases with one out, Matt Anderson lined a two-run single to give the Eagles an early 2-0 lead.
Coastal hit two home runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead. Lancaster started the third inning with a solo home run, his sixth round-tripper of the season. After Woodall reached on an error, Biermann launched a two-run home run off the center field batter's eye. Biermann, who missed last weekend's series due to illness, now has seven homers this season.
The Eagles tied the game, 3-3, in the fourth. Noah Searcy was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a throwing error. Chandler Cory grounded out to shortstop to bring home Searcy.
However, CCU quickly regained the lead in the top of the fifth. With one out, Woodall crushed a solo home run off the batter's eye to give the senior his 11th four-bagger of the year.
Coastal took advantage of two Eagle errors to score a pair of runs in the seventh for a 6-3 lead. Michael Koenig walked to start the inning and moved to second on a passed ball. Wood had a bunt single. A throwing error on the play allowed Koenig to score and moved Wood to second. After a sacrifice bunt by Lancaster, Georgia Southern looked to limit the damage, but a second error extended the inning and allowed Wood to score for the three-run lead.
The Chants caught a break in the ninth to expand their lead to four, 7-3. Wood walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and, on a wild pitch, reached third when the Eagle third baseman dropped the ball on the tag. Woodall then hit a seeing-eye single back up the middle to plate Wood.
The Eagles put a pair of runners in scoring position in the ninth before Eardensohn got a game-ending ground out.
Georgia Southern pitcher Brian Eichhorn (2-1) recorded nine strikeouts, but took the loss. He allowed seven hits and six runs, but only three were earned, with three walks over six innings. The junior had not allowed a home run this season and just eight in his 38 previous career outings before allowing three to the Chanticleers.
Two-Out Rally Leads Mavs Past Warhawks
ARLINGTON, Texas -- RJ Williams drove in a career-high four runs, including two on a go-ahead double in the sixth inning, leading UTA baseball to a 5-2 comeback win over ULM to open a three-game series on Thursday at Clay Gould Ballpark.
UTA (12-11, 5-2 Sun Belt Conference) rallied from a 2-1 hole with a three-run frame in the sixth inning, including a go-ahead two-run, two-out double from Williams, who added a sacrifice fly in the third and an RBI fielder's choice in the eighth.
LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs collected eight hits and six walks in the game, with Williams providing the firepower with his career high four RBI on a hit. The Mavs also got a 3-for-4 game from Zac Cook and a two-hit game from Omar Salinas. Will Olson and Aaron Funk each added hits and freshman David Renning scored a pair of runs.
ON THE MOUND
UTA senior starter Brad Vassar worked five innings, allowing three hits and two runs, walking one and striking out four. Junior Logan Austin (2-0) opened the sixth inning in relief of Vassar and worked 2.2 hitless innings, allowing just three walks and striking out one.
After a pair of outs and runners reached in the eighth inning, UTA turned to freshman David Moffat. Moffat retired all four hitters he faced in his first career save, fanning a pair.
ULM (14-11, 3-4 Sun Belt) starter Trey Jeans worked four-plus innings, allowing three hits and one run, walking four and striking out eight. After a leadoff walk in the fifth, ULM turned to Richard Hebert (2-0) in relief.
NEXT
The series will resume on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Clay Gould Ballpark. UTA will turn to senior righty Trae Patterson (1-1, 7.71 ERA) for the start against ULM senior right-hander Chase Beal (2-2, 5.73 ERA). The game will be broadcast live on UTAMavs.com, with the Voice of the Mavs, Josh Sours, calling the action.
HOW THEY SCORED
ULM got on the board at its first chance in the top of the first inning, getting a solo homer on a 3-1 offering over the leftfield fence from Johnny DeLaCruz, his first of the year.
UTA evened up the game in the bottom of the third inning, getting a leadoff single from Funk. Cook pushed Funk to third with a slow rolling single through the left side and Williams hung a sac fly to centerfield to score Funk.
The Warhawks answered in the top of the fourth inning, as DeLaCruz drew a five-pitch walk to open the inning, stealing second base and scoring on Chad Bell's single up the middle.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Mavs started a rally with a leadoff single from Salinas, who took second after a wild pitch. After a two-out, full-count walk issued to David Renning, Cook smashed a RBI double into the gap to score the game-tying run. Williams then lined a two-run double into the right-centerfield gap to give UTA a 4-2 lead.
UTA added a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, getting Renning on after a one-out error. Cook pushed him to third with a single and Williams legged out the back end of a double play to score Renning for a three-run UTA lead.
TROY AND GEORGIA STATE GAME ONE SUSPENDED
TROY, Alabama – Game one of the Sun Belt Conference series between Troy and Georgia State at Riddle-Pace Field has been suspended due to heavy rain.
The Trojans (17-8, 3-3) and Panthers (12-12, 1-4) were tied at three a piece in the bottom of the third when lightning in the area delayed the game and a torrential downpour ensued to call for the suspension of the matchup until Friday at 4 p.m.
Georgia State struck first in the top of the first inning with three runs on five hits off Troy's Andrew Crane.
Troy responded with three of its own in the bottom of the first; with a big blow coming from the bat of Chase Smartt on a two-run, two-out single.
Three scoreless frames followed and Joey Denison led off the bottom of the third with a single before the game was put on pause.