Trojan Bats Come Alive in 10-4 Win Over Mountaineers
BOONE, N.C. - Three Trojans knocked in multiple runs to help lift Little Rock to a 10-4 victory over Appalachian State in game one of the series at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium on Friday night.
Little Rock holds its spot on atop the Sun Belt West Division, improving to 11-7 in conference while upping its overall record to 22-18. Appalachian State remains sixth in the East Division with a 3-16 conference record and 11-30 overall.
"The theme coming into tonight was 'answer,' as we needed to answer after a disappointing game on Tuesday," said head coach Chris Curry. "The key tonight was that after we jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and they cut it down to 7-4, we came back and scored two more to push the game out to 9-4 and then we shut them down. The combination of Buck, Perez and Garcia was outstanding. Danny Mitchell Jr. and Christian Reyes have waited their turn and the game is rewarding them. I'm really happy for those guys for a great job tonight."
The night belonged to Danny Mitchell Jr., who dominated at the plate exploding for four hits and driving in two runs. Mitchell Jr. finished 4-for-5 as he now ranks second on the team with a .306 average.
Matt Merino and Riley Pittman each knocked in a pair of runs while Troy Alexander and Christian Reyes each registered two hits on the night, driving in a run apiece. Merino, Reyes and Marcus Ragan each crossed the plate twice for the Trojans as well.
The game started quiet for the first three innings as both starting pitchers found their grooves and held each other scoreless the first time through the order.
Little Rock then opened up the scoring with a big four-run fourth inning, starting with Matt Merino and Kale Emshoff hitting back-to-back singles to give Riley Pittman two runners on with one out. Pittman knocked a single of his own to score Merino from second and move Emshoff to second. It was followed up by a Nick Perez walk to load the bases for Troy Alexander.
Alexander blooped a hit to shallow left-field just out of reach of the third baseman's head that scored Emshoff and Pittman while moving Perez to third. The Mountaineers saved a run as Perez tried to take home on a bouncer, but was caught stealing and advanced Alexander to third. Reyes laid down a perfect bunt down the right side that gave Alexander the opportunity to score and put the Trojans up 4-0.
Little Rock extended that lead to 7-0 in the fifth, beginning with a Marcus Ragan walk and a double from Mitchell Jr. The two of them easily trotted home as Merino crushed a triple to right, as he would then score two batters later when Pittman reached on an error by the second baseman.
Appalachian State pulled to within three in the bottom half of the fifth, scoring four runs of their own to cut the deficit to 7-4. Little Rock added two more in the top of the sixth off RBI singles from Ragan and Mitchell Jr. The impressive night for Mitchell Jr. continued in the eighth as the North Little Rock native registered his fourth hit and second RBI, singling to right to bring Ragan home for the second time and securing the 10-4 win for the Trojans.
Starter Chandler Fidel picked up the win, improving to 6-3 on the year while giving up four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. Little Rock's bullpen then slammed the door on the Mountaineers as the trio of Donavin Buck, Nick Perez and Justin Garcia held App State hitless with just one walk and five strikeouts over the final 3.2 innings.
The weekend series resumes Saturday at 2 p.m. CT when the Trojans and Mountaineers meet in game two. The game will stream live on ESPN3.
PANTHERS' WIN 6-5 ON JONES' WALK-OFF SQUEEZE IN 12TH
ATLANTA -- Justin Jones hit the tying home run in the eighth inning, and his walk-off squeeze bunt in the 12th inning gave Georgia State a 6-5 victory over Louisiana in the Sun Belt Conference series opener Friday at the GSU Baseball Complex.
Four Georgia State (21-20, 7-11 Sun Belt) pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts to tie the school record, and the Panthers rallied from an early 5-0 deficit on homers by Jones and Nick Gatewood.
Louisiana (24-20, 10-9 Sun Belt) jumped in front 5-0 with two runs in the first inning, two in the second and one more in the third off GSU starter Hunter Gaddis.
After the rough start, Gaddis settled down to pitch seven innings and retire 13 out of the last 14 batters he faced, allowing only one walk. His final line saw him give up five runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Trailing 5-0, GSU finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. Luke Leonard and Romero Greer had back-to-back infield hits, and Kendall Ford singled to center to score Leonard from second base with the Panthers' first run. Ford followed his 5-for-5 performance Wednesday with a 2-for-5 outing tonight.
With two outs, Gatewood, the junior catcher, blasted a three-run homer to right center, his team-leading 12th of the season, to pull the Panthers within 5-4.
Louisiana starter Colten Schmidt also pitched seven innings and allowed four runs on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
Nick Lee relived Schmidt to start the eighth, and he was greeted by Jones' solo homer, his fifth of the season, to tie the game at 5-5.
Relievers Brandon Baker, Jansen Acton and Tyler Koch combined to shut down the Ragin' Cajuns over the next five innings with 10 strikeouts and just two hits. Baker struck out four in 1-2/3 innings, Acton fanned three in two innings and Koch also struck out three in 1-1/3 innings.
Leonard, the Panthers' center fielder, led off the bottom of the 12th by hitting a fly ball to right field that dropped just inside the line for a single. He moved up on a ball in the dirt, but Greer walked to put runners at first and second. Ford slapped a ground ball to shortstop, and the Ragin' Cajuns got the out at second but Ford just beat the throw at first.
That brought Jones to the plate with runners at first and third and one out. He laid down the suicide squeeze bunt down the third base line, and Leonard raced home with the winning run.
Jones, the Panthers' senior shortstop playing in his 200th career game, drove in the winning run in extra innings for the fifth time in his stellar career.
Tonight's win is victory No. 350 at Georgia State for head coach Greg Frady.
The series continues with a 2 p.m. game Saturday at the GSU Baseball Complex
#16 Coastal Carolina Powers Past UL Monroe, 14-4
CONWAY - Cameron Pearcey had a career-high four RBI, thanks to a three-run home run, while Keaton Weisz and Kieton Rivers each hit two-run home runs to lead #16 Coastal Carolina to a 14-4 victory over UL Monroe in a Sun Belt Conference series opener Friday night at Springs Brooks Stadium.
Weisz and Rivers each finished with two hits and three RBI, while Seth Lancaster added two hits and he was one of four Chanticleers to score twice. Overall, eight CCU starters had at least one hit and eight CCU starters scored at least one run.
Coastal Carolina improves to 29-14 overall, 15-4 in the Sun Belt, while ULM falls to 18-23, 7-12. Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 2 pm. The series finale is set for Sunday at 11 am.
Zack Hopeck (4-3) earned the win. He allowed seven hits and four runs, including two double and two runs in the first inning. He settled down and allowed just two hits over his next three innings. In the fifth, he once again allowed two hits to start the frame that led to ULM's other two runs. However, Hopeck only walked one and struck out five. Davie Inman (three innings) and Patrick Orlando (one inning) combined to pitch four scoreless, hitless innings while allowing no walks and getting one strikeout.
The Warhawks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Johnny DeLaCruz hit a leadoff double and Braedon Barrett followed with a double of his own. DeLaCruz scored on a Turner Francis RBI ground out and Chad Bell delivered a sacrifice fly to bring home Barrett. The Chanticleers loaded the bases in the bottom of the first, but could not take advantage.
However, Coastal would explode for six runs in the second inning. Matt Beaird hit a one-out double and Weisz cranked a two-run home run to left-center field, his second round-tripper of the season. Cory Wood walked, stole second and moved to third on a Lancaster single. After Lancaster stole second to put runners on second and third, Kevin Woodall Jr., lined a two-run double down the left field line. Two batters later, Rivers capped the scoring in the inning with a two-run home run into the CCU bullpen for the 6-2 lead.
The Chants pushed their lead to 7-2 in the third, using a tried-and-true method. Pearcey walked, stole second, moved to third on a Beaird sacrifice bunt and scored on a sac fly by Weisz.
In the fourth, Coastal loaded the bases on three straight walks to Lancaster, Woodall and Zach Biermann. Rivers lined an RBI single to bring home Lancaster and, with bases still loaded, Pearcey walked to force in Woodall. Beaird came through with a sacrifice fly and plated Biermann for the third run of the frame to lead 10-2
ULM turned two singles to start the fifth into two runs to cut its deficit to six, 10-4. Pierce Khan and DeLaCruz each singled to start the fifth. After a sacrifice bunt, Francis had an RBI ground out and Chad Bell had an RBI single up the middle.
However, the Chants answered with run in the bottom of the fifth. Wood walked and Lancaster singled. The pair stole third and second, respectively, and Biermann plated Wood with an RBI ground out.
Pearcey provided the eventual 14-4 final score in the eighth with a three-run home run, his first blast of the season and third for his career. Prior to the home run, Turner Buis had a pinch hit single. He is now 4-for-8 as a pinch hitter this season including hits in his last three appearances. Pinch hitter Tor Sehnert followed with a walk. Sehnert is now 4-for-7 with three walks in 10 pinch hit appearances.
ULM starter Chase Beal (2-6) suffered the loss as he allowed five this, five runs and three walks in 1.2 innings of work.
MacDonald's Homer Lifts A-State to 6-3 Win at USA
MOBILE, Ala (4/27/18) – The Arkansas State baseball team was tied with South Alabama 3-3 in the top of the ninth, but a three-run home run by Kyle MacDonald lifted the Red Wolves to a 6-3 series-opening win over the Jaguars Friday night at Stanky Field in Mobile, Ala.
South Alabama (24-16, 12-6 SBC) reliever Zach Greene walked Grant Hawkins and Jeremy Brown to begin the ninth inning to set up MacDonald’s at-bat. Greene worked ahead to a 1-2 count, but left a fastball elevated and MacDonald swatted his team-best eighth home run just over the right-field fence to put A-State (14-24, 5-14 SBC) ahead 6-3.
Coulton Lee, who had pitched the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, was able to get the first out of the bottom of the night, but was pulled after two walks brought the tying run to the plate. However, Bo Ritter slammed the door shut for his third save of the season with a fielder’s choice and pop up to clinch the win for the Red Wolves.
Bradey Welsh tossed 107 pitches in five innings, but allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts against two walks. Lee earned the win after throwing 3.1 innings and allowing just two hits. USA starter Tyler Carr, who entered the game at 7-2 on the year, lasted 5.1 innings and allowed three unearned runs on nine hits.
Arkansas State was led at the plate by Cullen Ray’s three hits as the team out hit the Jags 13-8. Brown, Hawkins, Johnson, and Welch all had two hits apiece with Brown extending his hit streak to 19 games. Drew Tipton hit the team’s only other extra-base hit aside from MacDonald’s home run in the contest with a double in the fourth inning to extend his hit streak to 13 games.
Dylan Hardy led the Jaguars’ offense with a 3-for-5 effort and a run scored, while Carter Perkins, Michael Sandle, and Wells Davis each had a RBI.
South Alabama got on the board in the bottom of the first with two runs on a RBI single by Perkins and RBI double by Sandle. However, A-State loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second on a pair of errors sandwiched around a single from Johnson. A pair of outs made it look like the Red Wolves may squander the opportunity, but a clutch single by Hawkins drove home two before a Brown run-scoring hit put the visitors ahead 3-2.
The Jaguars tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth when Brendan Donovan swatted a lead-off double down the left-field line and came around to score on a RBI ground out. Both teams put runners on the corners in the eighth inning, but neither team could score to keep it tied.
The Red Wolves and South Alabama meet for game two in the series Saturday evening. First pitch from Stanky Field is set for 6:30 p.m. Fans can watch the game for free on JagNationTV.com.
For the latest on A-State baseball follow the team by logging onto the Arkansas State Baseball Facebook page or by following the team on Twitter (@AStateBaseball) and Instagram (arkansasstatebaseball).
Ortega’s late bomb lifts TXST over Georgia Southern
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State baseball team came from behind to top Georgia Southern 4-3 in the first game of a weekend Sun Belt Conference series Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark.
The Bobcats (22-19-1, 10-9 SBC) struggled through the first seven innings to solve the Eagles' starting pitcher, but a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth from junior Jonathan Ortega lifted TXST to victory.
The triumph jumped the maroon and gold into a three-way tie for second place in the SBC West division with Louisiana and UTA. Little Rock remains on top of the division with an 11-7 mark.
Georgia Southern (20-21, 10-8 SBC) initially led 2-0 after the first two innings as the Bobcats struggled out of the gate. TXST pulled one back in the bottom of the fourth on true freshman Dalton Shuffield's second home run of the season, but the visitors went ahead 3-1 with an unearned tally in the top of the eighth.
Senior Derek Scheible jumpstarted the rally with a five-pitch walk to begin the home half of the frame. Classmate Jared Huber singled through the right side, and the duo advanced to second and third, respectively, on a sacrifice bunt from senior Mickey Scott. Shuffield reached on a fielder's choice that saw Scheible tagged out at home, but Ortega then stepped to the plate and blasted a 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall for the go-ahead runs.
GS was sat down in order in the top of the ninth to cap off the come-from-behind victory.
Shuffield went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ortega needed just one hit to finish with three RBIs.
Junior Connor Reich tossed a quality start that included 7.0 innings on the hill and a no-decision. He gave up five hits and two runs (one earned), while striking out four and walking two. Classmate Kyle Bradford (2-1) pitched the eighth and earned the win despite allowing an unearned marker. Junior Brayden Theriot went 1-2-3 in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts to collect his sixth save of the campaign.
GS starter Brian Eichhorn (3-3) was nearly lights out for the first seven innings. He tossed a complete-game and was saddled with the loss after conceding four runs on six hits. He struck out nine and walked three.
Tyler Martin had three of Georgia Southern's six hits. Jason Swan, Chandler Corley and Mitchell Golden all finished with an RBI and a run scored.
The two sides will continue their weekend battle at 4 p.m. April 28.
Mosley’s Grand Slam Boosts Troy Over UTA
TROY, Alabama – Rigsby Mosley became the first Trojan in four years to hit a grand slam to push Troy past UT Arlington, 8-4, in Friday's Sun Belt series opener at Riddle-Pace Field.
Troy (29-13, 12-7) was locked in a tight, one-run game in the seventh when the redshirt freshman Mosley delivered the big blast – the first since David Hall launched one against UT Arlington on April 26, 2014.
The homer was the Trojans' second of the game, as Drew Frederic hit a solo shot in the bottom of the third – he finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBIs, the homer and a double. Frederic and Joey Denison accounted for over half of Troy's 11 hits in the game as Denison also turned in a three-hit performance.
Senior righty Andrew Crane (4-3) provided the Trojans with a solid outing on the mound, going seven strong while allowing just two runs – one earned – on four hits.
UTA (20-22, 10-9) knotted the game up in the fifth inning but weren't ever able to take a lead in the game, despite a 3-for-5 night for leadoff batter Zac Cook. Jordon West (1-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up the go-ahead run in the bottom of that same fifth inning.
Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"Andrew (Crane) was great today, he pitched as well in the first three innings as he has all year. We have a good offensive club and the speed factor is a good element of that offense which gets in the pitcher's head. All in all, it was a solid Friday night performance for us."
Sound "Smartt" with Your Friends
Troy's 11-hit game marked its seventh game with double digit hits in the last eight. It is the second notable streak of the sorts this year, as the Trojans did it in 7-of-8 from March 27 to April 8.
Noteworthy
• Drew Frederic's three-hit game was the third this season and the fourth of the sophomore's career. At the time of his home run, it tied him for the team-lead with four on the year.
• Troy's series-opening win over the Mavs was just the second in the two conference foes all-time series. The Trojans are 26-12 under Mark Smartt in openers and improve to 5-2 in league openers this season.
• With two RBIs Friday night, Joey Denison reached 52 in 2018 and is on pace for 71 by the end of the regular season. Troy's all-time single-season record is 73 RBIs set by Tom King in 2006.
On Deck
The Trojans and Mavericks meet for game two on Troy Baseball Alumni Day tomorrow afternoon. RHP Daren Osby will put his perfect record on the line as Troy goes for the series victory at 3 p.m.