SUN BELT TOURNAMENT
TEXAS STATE 6, UALR 3
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was eliminated from the Sun Belt Conference Tournament after a loss to Texas State on Thursday afternoon in Lafayette, La., where the Trojans dropped consecutive games after winning Tuesday’s play-in game against Georgia State.
“Well, it obviously hurts right now,” said UALR fourth-year Coach Chris Curry, whose Trojans had their highest overall win percentage during his tenure. “We came down here to win a championship, and we’re going home earlier than we wanted. I told them in the outfield that I couldn’t be more proud.”
No. 7-seeded UALR (28-28) moved to the loser’s bracket after a 19-16 loss to No. 2 Louisiana-Lafayette, which broke tournament records for total runs (35), total hits (31), total pitchers (11) and took two days to complete.
With Louisiana-Lafayette leading 8-7, play resumed at 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning, the lead changed four times until the Ragin’ Cajuns broke a 16-16 tie with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Less than four hours later, UALR took a 2-0 lead over Texas State in the top of the first, when junior right fielder Troy Alexander hit an RBI single then scored himself by stealing home.
The Bobcats (29-27-1) gained a 4-2 lead in the fifth, then set the final score with two runs in the seventh.
Aaron Funk (2-1, 4.23 ERA) earned the loss, pitching 4 2/3 innings with 5 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks and a strikeout.
SOUTHLAND TOURNAMENT
SAM HOUSTON STATE 4,
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 2
Swept out of the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2012, the University of Central Arkansas was eliminated from postseason play after losing to Sam Houston State on Thursday afternoon at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
No. 5-seeded UCA (32-25) never led against No. 1 Sam Houston State (39-19), which scored all of its runs in the top of the first after hitting three consecutive RBI singles against Bears junior right-hander Cody Davenport.
Davenport (5-5, 4.43 ERA) earned the loss, pitching 7 innings with 6 hits, 4 earned runs, a walk and 4 strikeouts. “Not what we wanted, there’s no doubt about that,” said eighth-year UCA head Coach Allen Gum. “We’ve had a lot of success here. This time, it just wasn’t our turn.”
UCA scored its first run in the third, when senior center fielder Keaton Presley hit an RBI single. Then, the Bears pulled within 4-2 in the fifth, when junior left fielder Hunter Strong drove in a run with a ground out to first base with runners on second and third.
UCA went 1 for 14 the rest of the game.
Hayden Wesneski (7-3, 3.50) earned the victory, pitching 7 innings and allowing 6 hits, 2 earned runs, no walks with 3 strikeouts.