SUN BELT
ARKANSAS STATE 6-2, TEXAS-ARLINGTON 4-4
Arkansas State University (12-19, 4-10 Sun Belt Conference) got out to a quick start in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against Texas-Arlington (17-17, 8-6) and had a big fifth inning of the second game, but came away with a split at Clay Gould Ballpark in Arlington, Texas.
The Red Wolves scored three runs in the first inning as Jeremy Brown doubled to left-center field with one out. After Kyle MacDonald flied out, Brown scored on Winston Welch's RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Grant Hawkins then hit a two-run home run to left field on a full count to extend the lead to 3-0.
The lead grew in the third inning. Drew Tipton walked to start the inning, then stole second base, advanced to third on an error and scored to give ASU a 4-0 lead. MacDonald then walked and scored on Welch's RBI double to left-center field. Welch later scored on Tobias Johnson's RBI single for a 6-0 lead.
The Mavericks tried to rally, getting an RBI groundout in the fourth inning and an RBI single from Zac Cook in the fifth to cut the lead to 6-2. Cook added an RBI groundout in the seventh and Josh Minjarez had an RBI double that set the final score.
In the second game, the Red Wolves took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Hawkins, who later scored on a throwing error. Texas-Arlington tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning on a Minjarez home run to left field, then took the lead in the eighth on an RBI double by Christian Hollie. David Renning later was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Welch was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored to lead the Red Wolves in the first game. ASU had seven hits in the second game but no player had more than one. Bradey Welsh (2-4) picked up the victory in the first game after allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits with a walk and 3 strikeouts over 6 innings. Bo Ritter earned his second save after allowing 2 hits with 2 strikeouts over the final 2⅔ innings.
UALR 7, LOUISIANA-MONROE 4
After Louisiana-Monroe scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at Gary Hogan Field, UALR (18-14, 7-5) scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and three more in the eighth to claim the victory.
The Trojans scored a run in the first inning when Matt Merino reached on a fielder's choice, which allowed Danny Mitchell to score. Merino added an RBI groundout in the third inning, and James Gann hit a home run to left field in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead. The Warhawks (17-17, 6-8) used home runs from Braedon Barrett and Spencer Hemphill, who hit a two-run shot, to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth. UALR took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth when Marcus Ragan reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Kale Emshoff to score and give the Trojans a 4-3 lead.
Gann added a three-run home run in the eighth inning to increase the lead to 7-3, but the Warhawks threatened in the top of the ninth. After a foul out to start the inning, two walks and a fielder's choice loaded the bases. Turner Francis struck out looking before Hemphill drew a full-count walk to cut the lead to 7-4. That was all the damage done as Peyton Lacoste flied out to left field to end the game.
Gann had 2 of UALR's 3 hits in the first game -- the other coming from Merino -- along with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored to lead the Trojans. Chandler Fidel got the victory on the mound after allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits with a walk and 5 strikeouts in 6⅓ innings. Justin Garcia earned the save after allowing 1 earned run without a hit in his inning of work.
SOUTHLAND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 10-3, TENN.-MARTIN 4-0
Two big innings helped the University of Central Arkansas (21-13) get a nonconference doubleheader sweep over Tennessee-Martin (5-27) on Saturday at Bear Stadium in Conway.
A seven-run third inning helped the Bears claim the first game. Already ahead 1-0 on Keaton Presley's RBI triple in the first inning, UCA took advantage of two Tennessee-Martin errors to score three runs in the third. The Bears also got a home run from Josh Somdecerff, a two-run double from Coby Potvin and an RBI single from Rigo Aguilar. Their final two runs came on a Dusty Wright two-run double in the seventh inning.
The Bears did their damage in the first inning of second game. Strong singled up the middle to start the inning and advanced when Somdecerff walked. Tyler Smith reached on a bunt and Strong was thrown out at third base. Presley then hit a home run to left field on a 1-1 pitch to stake UCA to a 3-0 lead.
Potvin was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI, and Somdecerff and Aguilar were both 2 for 5 to lead UCA in the first game, while Presley was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI in the second game. Tanner Wiley (3-1) earned the victory in the first game after allowing 1 earned run on 8 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Tyler Gray (4-0) threw a complete game for the Bears in the second game, allowing 3 hits -- 2 singles and a double -- with 1 walk and 12 strikeouts.
SWAC
GRAMBLING STATE 9, ARK.-PINE BLUFF 2
Grambling State (17-17, 10-6 South-western Athletic Conference) scored three runs each in the first and fifth innings to get a series-opening victory over the Uni-versity of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (11-15, 8-7) on Saturday at R.W.E. Jones Park in Grambling, La.
UAPB’s runs came on a sacrifice fly in the second inning and a home run by JP Soriano in the fourth. Soriano was 3 for 3 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored, while Brad-ly Lopez was 2 for 4 to lead the Golden Lions.
-- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Sports on 04/15/2018