SUN BELT
ARKANSAS STATE 6, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 1
Garrett Olson and Ben Klutts had two hits each for Arkansas State University (15-23, 7-9 Sun Belt Conference) in a series-opening victory over Georgia Southern (27-17, 11-8) at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro.
After Tyler Duncan hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning for the Red Wolves, Olson had an RBI double to left field in the fifth inning and added a solo home run in the seventh inning. Klutts had RBI singles in the fifth and seventh innings. Austin Thompson hit a solo home run in the sixth inning for the Eagles.
Right-hander Brandon Hudson (4-1) earned the victory on the mound for ASU. The Red Wolves' starter went 7 innings, allowing the lone Eagles run on 6 hits with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. Georgia Southern starter Tyler Owens (6-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits with 2 walks in 4 2/3 innings.
With rain in the forecast Sunday, the Red Wolves and Eagles will play a doubleheader today beginning at 3 p.m.
UALR 5, SAM HOUSTON STATE 3
The University of Arkansas-Little Rock (19-21) withstood a sixth-inning rally by Sam Houston State (20-19) to claim the first game of a nonconference series at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
A throwing error by Bearkats second baseman Easton Loyd on Kobe Barnum's single allowed John Michael Russ to score and gave the Trojans an early lead, which grew to 3-0 in the fifth inning on Noah Dickerson's two-run home run to left-center field.
Sam Houston State tied the game in the sixth inning when Jack Rogers scored on Bryce Holmes' RBI fielder's choice and Colton Cowser added a two-run single. UALR responded in the top of the seventh inning, scoring its final two runs on an RBI double from Tyler Williams and an RBI single from Dickerson.
Nathan Lyons led the Trojans offensively, going 3 for 5 from the leadoff spot, while Dickerson was 2 for 3 with 3 RBI. Cowser and Rogers were the only Sam Houston State players with multiple hits.
Reliever Aaron Barkley (6-3) pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory, allowing 3 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. Matt Dillard (1-4) took the loss after allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts in 2 innings.
The teams continue their series today with a single game starting at 7:30 p.m. Central.
SOUTHLAND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 15, NEW ORLEANS 5 (7)
The University of Central Arkansas (18-22, 13-16 Southland Conference) trailed 4-3 after one inning Friday, then used a six-run second inning to pull away from New Orleans (25-20, 20-13) at Maestri Field in New Orleans.
Hunter Hicks hit a two-run single through the right side and RJ Pearson drew a bases-loaded walk for the Bears in the first inning. The Privateers used a pair of RBI doubles and two-run single by Salo Iza to take a 4-3 lead.
UCA took the lead for good in the second inning, scoring two runs on a throwing error by reliever Austin Acree on a bunt single by AJ Mendolia. Taylor Daniell had an RBI single, Pearson added a sacrifice fly to score Daniell and Connor Emmett had a two-run single to right field to give the Bears a 9-4 lead.
Emmett added an RBI single in the Bears' four-run fourth inning, which also included an RBI double by Mendolia and a two-run single from Kolby Johnson. UCA's final two runs came in the sixth inning when Daniell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Nathaniel Sagdahl to score, and Johnson had an RBI groundout.
Emmett led the way for the Bears offensively, going 4 for 6 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI. Johnson was 3 for 5 with 3 RBI, while Mendolia was 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored. Pearce Howard was the only Privateer with at least 2 hits, including a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.
Brad Verel (2-1) earned the victory for UCA, inducing 2 flyouts and 3 groundouts from the 6 batters he faced over 2 innings. Logan Gilbertson got the save after allowing Howard's home run and 3 hits overall with 3 strikeouts over 4 innings of work.
The Bears and Privateers are scheduled to play a doubleheader today begining at 2 p.m. Centtal.
SWAC
UAPB 14, GRAMBLING STATE 6
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-31, 6-13 Southwestern Athletic Conference) used a six-run sixth inning to earn a victory over Grambling State (15-23, 12-7) at Wilbert Wllis Field in Grambling, La.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Cameron Phelts scored on an error by UAPB catcher Edwin Delacruz. He made up for the error in the second inning, hitting a solo home run to left field, and Dante Leach added an RBI groundout to give the Golden Lions a 2-1 lead.
Cameron Bufford tied the game with an RBI single in the third inning and Grambling State took the lead in the fourth on Joseph Gunn's two-run home run. UAPB took a 5-4 in the fifth inning, thanks to two Tigers errors, but Bufford hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-5.
The Golden Lions would reclaim the lead in the sixth. Karsten Vasquez tied the game at 6-6 with an RBI single and Delacruz scored when Lawrence Noble reached on an error by Jahmoi Percival for a 7-6 lead. Braelin Hence then followed with a three-run double to right field and Nick Kreutzer added a two-run single to make the lead 12-6.
Kacy Higgins, who led UAPB by going 3 for 5, had an RBI single in the eighth inning and Timothy Martin scored on a wild pitch in the ninth for the Golden Lions' final two runs.
Martin, Delacruz and Irvin had two hits each for UAPB, which finished with 13. Bufford led the Tigers by going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI. Tony Horn Jr. (3-6) earned the victory after pitching 5 scoreless innings in which he allowed 5 hits with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.
The series continues today at 3 p.m. Central.