SUN BELT UALR 14, GEORGIA STATE 7
UALR had to make a game-day adjustment to its rotation, but it’s offense never wavered as it snapped a five-game losing streak Friday night at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.
UALR (12-14, 2-8) used a four-run fourth to break a 2-2 tie, then scored five runs to take the lead in the fifth and added three runs in the sixth to break a three-game losing streak to Sun Belt Conference teams.
Ben Crumpton hit a two-run home run to cap the five-run fifth that gave UALR an 11-7 lead, and Crumpton finished 2 for 4 and scored 4 runs. Drew Merten hit two two-run doubles and was 3 for 4 with 5 RBI and scored 2 runs. Ryan Scott and Tanner Rockwell had 2 hits and 2 RBI each, and Bryson Thionnet went 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 1 RBI for the Trojans, who set a season high for runs.
Ethan Schlechte started for UALR after Travis McDonald, who started UALR’s previous two Sun Belt series openers, was one of four Trojans suspended Friday for their role in a fight during Wednesday’s loss at Central Arkansas.
Schlechte gave up 2 runs, 1 earned, on 7 hits over 3 1/3 innings. After reliever Cory Malcolm gave up 5 runs on 5 hits in 1 1/3 innings, Jess Harbin, Dillon Moritz and Garrett Sherrell held Georgia State (14-17, 3-7) to 2 hits over 4 1/3 scoreless innings to end the game.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 8, ARKANSAS STATE 6
Arkansas State cut a four-run deficit to one run, but Western Kentucky scored two runs in the eighth and held ASU to one ninth-inning run to take the series opener Friday night in Bowling Green, Ky.
With ASU trailing 8-5 entering the ninth, Stuart Levy drew a two-out walk and scored on Derek Birginske’s double to right-center, but Birginske was picked off by Western Kentucky catcher Ryan Messex to end the game. Birginske went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI, while Levy and Eric Wilcoxson had 2 hits each for ASU (16-14, 7-3).
The Red Wolves were forced to chip away at the Hilltoppers’ lead when right-hander David Owens had his worst outing against a Sun Belt team this season. Owen, who entered with a 3.22 ERA, gave up a two-run single to Messex in the first,a two-run double to Anderson Miller in a three-run third and single runs in the fifth and the eighth in losing for the first time this season. Owen (4-1) allowed 8 runs, 6 earned, on 8 hits while striking out 6 in 72/3 innings.
ASU cut into a 6-2 deficit after the fifth inning with two runs in the sixth when Michael Burgess scored on a wild pitch and Birginske hit an RBI single to make it 6-4. Austin Baker walked and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-5. Luke Fedderson walked and stole second base, but Colin Massanelli, Levy and Birginske struck out. SOUTHLAND SE LOUISIANA 6, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 0
A four-run eighth inning helped defeat Central Arkansas in the first game of a Southland Conference series Friday night at Bear Stadium in Conway.
Southeastern Louisiana (19-11, 6-4) led 2-0 heading into the eighth when it scored 4 runs on 4 hits and took an advantage of a UCA error to extend its lead to 6-0, and UCA was held hitless over the final two innings.
The Bears (16-11, 5-5) were playing without Coach Allen Gum, who voluntarily sat out after the team’s 10th-inning brawl Wednesday night against UALR.
UCA was held to three hits, two of which came from designated hitter Joey Pinney. SWAC ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 3-6, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 2-3
Jim Ploeger struck out 10 batters in the first game and Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored five runs in the top of the ninth to take the second in a doubleheader sweep of Prairie View A&M on Friday night in Prairie View, Texas.
Ploeger (4-2) held Prairie View (11-15, 6-7) to 2 runs on 6 hits and walked only 1 while striking out 10 over 8 innings in the first game. UAPB scored a run in the second, then two in the eighth. Rayshawn Tillman went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, while Jason Ibrahim also drove in a run and Isias Alcantar and Jerimiah Figueroa each had two hits.
UAPB (10-20, 10-3) trailed 3-1 heading into the ninth inning of the second game, but scored five runs to go up 6-3, then Kevin Walsh (1-0) pitched around a hit in the ninth.
Sports, Pages 25 on 04/05/2014