SUN BELT TOURNAMENT

Ninth-inning blow ends UALR's year

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock's baseball season came to an end Friday.

Drew Frederic hit a game-winning double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as No. 6 seed Troy beat No. 3 UALR, 5-4, at the Sun Belt Baseball Tournament at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.

UALR finished 29-28 in 2019 in Coach Chris Curry's fifth season.

The Trojans' season included a victory over the University of Arkansas on April 2 at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville, and series victories over then-nationally ranked Coastal Carolina on April 12-13 and Sun Belt West Division champion Texas State on May 10-12.

Troy will play Georgia Southern in an elimination game at 9 a.m. today.

Troy's Manning Early scored the game-tying run and Rigsby Mosley scored the game-winning run. Early singled to right and advanced to third on Mosley's single up the middle. With runners on first and third, Frederic doubled down the left-field line to score Early. UALR's Troy Alexander had trouble fielding the ball in left field, allowing Mosley to come around from first to score the winning run.

Lance Johnson (4-1) got the victory for Troy (31-28), pitching the final 22/3 innings. Johnson entered the game with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh inning. He was able to get James Gann to hit into a fielder's choice and then struck out Ramon Padilla to end the UALR threat. He finished with three strikeouts of the eight batters he faced, allowing two hits and no runs.

Donavin Buck (6-5) took the loss for UALR.

Mosley was Troy's offensive leader, going 4 for 5. He led off the bottom of the first with a home run and had a double in the sixth to go along with three runs scored. Frederic was 3 for 5 with 3 RBI, including a double and a home run.

UALR got three hits from Ryan Benavidez and two hits, including a home run, from Nick Perez. Alexander and James Gann had back-to-back home runs in the top half of the sixth inning.

SOUTHLAND TOURNAMENT

SE LOUISIANA 9, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 3

Southeastern Louisiana (33-26) scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning and defeated the University of Central Arkansas (31-26) in the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.

Bryce Steckler hit two home runs for the Lions.

UCA lost for the first time in the tournament Friday.

Southeastern Louisiana scored six runs to take an 8-2 lead in the top of the sixth on RBI singles from Nathan Pilutti and Nick Ray, a run-scoring double from Conner Manola, and Steckler's second home run of the game.

Jay Anderson and Beau Orlando each had two hits for the Bears. Orlando scored on a wild pitch in the second inning. Tanner Wiley and Anderson each scored a run for UCA.

Noah Cameron (6-2) allowed 7 runs, 6 earned, on 7 hits in 52/3 innings for the Bears. He struck out four and walked one.

UCA and Southeastern Louisiana will face off again today at 1 p.m. Central with the winner advancing to the championship game later today at 6 p.m. against McNeese State. McNeese State advanced to the championship game with a 5-3 victory Friday against Incarnate Word.

At a glance

SUN BELT TOURNAMENT

At Springs Brooks Stadium, Conway, S.C.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

GAME 11 Troy 5, UALR 4

GAME 12 Co. Car. 14, Texas-Arlington 13 (10)

TODAY’S GAMES

All times Central

GAME 13 Ga. Southern vs. Troy, 8 a.m.

GAME 14 La.-Monroe vs. Coastal Carolina, 11:30 a.m.

GAME 15 *Game 11/13 winner vs. Game 13 loser, 3 p.m.

GAME 16 *Game 12/14 winner vs. Game 14 loser, 6:30 p.m.

*If necessary

SUNDAY’S GAME

Championship game, noon

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

At Constellation Field Sugar Land, Texas

FRIDAY’S GAMES

SE Louisiana 9, Central Arkansas 3

SE Louisiana 6, Stephen F. Austin 4

Incarnate Word 5, Texas A&M-CC 4

McNeese State 5, Incarnate Word 3

TODAY’S GAMES

All times Central

Cent. Arkansas vs. SE Louisiana, 1 p.m.

Champ.: McNeese State vs. TBD, 6 p.m.

Sports on 05/25/2019

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