State Division I baseball roundups

SUN BELT

UALR 6, APPALACHIAN ST. 2

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (10-16, 3-4 Sun Belt Conference) scored four runs in the sixth inning to break open Friday's series opener against Appalachian State University (10-16, 1-6 Sun Belt) at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.

The Mountaineers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a wild pitch and an RBI groundout before the Trojans took control of the game in the sixth. Nik Gifford's two-out single was followed by Bryce Dimitroff's single to left field. Gifford and Dimitroff advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Cale Ridling drew a full-count walk to load the bases for pinch hitter Jonathan Davis, who hit a grand slam on a 2-2 pitch to give UALR a 4-2 lead.

Dalton Thomas had an RBI double down the left field line in the seventh inning and Dimitroff's RBI groundout scored Hunter Owens to increase the lead to 6-2.

Gifford was 3 for 3 with 1 run scored to lead the Trojans, who had 10 hits and left 8 runners on base, while Zach Baker was 2 for 5 with 1 run scored. Reliever Dylan Slayton (2-0) earned the victory, allowing 1 hit with 1 strikeout over the final 32/3 innings. Starter Cory Malcom settled down after the first inning to allow 5 total hits with 3 walks and 9 strikeouts over 51/3 innings.

ARKANSAS STATE 13-7, TEXAS STATE 7-16

Texas State University and Arkansas State University split a Sun Belt doubleheader at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, Texas.

Texas State jumped out to early leads in both games, 4-0 in the opener and 8-1 in the second game, but ASU (13-13, 3-5 Sun Belt) responded in the first game, scoring 11 of its 13 runs in the final 4 innings to post the victory.

The Bobcats' four-run first inning came thanks to a fielding error by Red Wolves shortstop Grant Hawkins that scored Derek Scheible, a two-run single from Luke Sherley, who later scored on Jared Huber's RBI single for a 4-0 lead. Garrett Rucker hit a two-run home run to center field in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 4-2. Arkansas State took the lead for good in the sixth inning when Jake Bakamus reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Joe Schrimpf to score, and a two-run double from Alex Howard to take a 5-4 lead.

The Red Wolves' biggest inning was the seventh, scoring four runs on two-run single by Justin Felix and two hit batters with the bases loaded. Schrimpf reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt in the eighth inning that scored Hawkins, and Felix added a two-run home run for a 12-4 lead. The Bobcats (17-10, 6-2 Sun Belt) got an RBI double and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to 12-6. Drew Tipton hit a home run to left field in the ninth to increast ASU's lead to 13-6 and Huber had an RBI single in the bottom of the inning for Texas State to set the final margin.

Schrimpf was 2 for 2 with 4 runs scored for Arkansas State, while Felix was 2 for 4 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. Reliever Bo Ritter (1-1) earned the pitching victory after allowing 2 hits and 4 walks over 31/3 innings. Tanner Kirby got his second save of the season after allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts over the final 32/3 innings.

SOUTHLAND

NORTHWESTERN (LA.) ST. 3,

CENTRAL ARKANSAS 2

A sacrifice fly from Matthew Alford scored David Fry in the sixth inning Friday, giving Northwestern (La.) State University (8-16, 3-4 Southland Conference) a victory over the University of Central Arkansas (13-15, 3-7 Southland) at Brown-Stroud Field in Natchitoches, La.

Each team scored in the fourth inning on two-run home runs. Rigo Aguilar hit his with one out in the top of the fourth on a 1-0 pitch to give the Bears a 2-0 lead, but the Demons tied the game in the bottom of the inning on an Austin Townsend shot to right field.

Aguilar finished 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored to lead Central Arkansas, which finished with 5 hits. Fry was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored to lead Northwestern State. Starter Nathan Jones got victory for the Demons, allowing UCA's 2 runs with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk in 61/3 innings. Tyler Gray took the loss despite going the distance, allowing 6 hits with 3 walks and 11 strikeouts.

SWAC

SOUTHERN 3, UAPB 2

An RBI single by designated hitter John Pope, his only hit of the game, in the seventh inning gave Southern University (5-16, 3-6 Southwestern Athletic Conference) a victory over the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (6-18, 5-5 SWAC) on Friday at the Torii Hunter Complex in Pine Bluff.

The Jaguars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Phillip Williams hit a one-out single, then Pope and Robinson Mateo walked to load the bases. Bobby Johnson hit an RBI single to right field that scored Williams. Pope scored when Franky Montesino was hit by a pitch. Golden Lions starter C.J. Lewington settled down after that, getting two swinging strikeouts to end the inning. Both runs were charged to Lewington, who allowed 5 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts over 6 innings, but did not factor in the decision.

UAPB got a run back in the third inning when Jacquese Moore singled to right field, stole second base and advanced to third on a balk. Moore scored when Jordan Knox struck out swinging and had to be thrown out at first base, cutting the lead to 2-1. Knox, who finished 2 for 4, singled to start the sixth inning for the Golden Lions, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Sergio Esparza's sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2.

Reliever Nathan Sawrie (2-3) took the loss for UAPB, allowing the game-winning run in the seventh on 3 hits with 1 strikeout in the game's final 3 innings. Starter Daniel Franklin (2-2) got the victory for Southern, allowing both UAPB runs on 5 hits with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts over 8 innings.

The teams will finish the series today with a doubleheader beginning at noon.

Sports on 04/01/2017

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