In just about every sense, University of Arkansas-Little Rock starter Jackson Wells was off Thursday night.
His velocity was down. His control was off, walking three batters. He threw 58 pitches in the game's first two innings and lasting one batter into the top of the sixth inning.
Yet the line for the Rogers native -- 2 earned runs allowed on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts over 5-plus innings -- was not too shabby.
Wells' gritty outing set the tone for UALR as the Trojans twice battled from behind, walking things off in the bottom of the ninth on Nico Baumbach's RBI single through the right side.
The 5-4 win over Tennessee-Martin at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock was by no means drama-free, however, as the Skyhawks, down 3-2, scored twice against UALR closer Austin Stubber to extend the game. But the mindset was there for the Trojans to turn it right back around.
"It was a Friday night conference battle," UALR Coach Chris Curry said, alluding to the fact that the series was pushed up a day due to Easter. "All the good arms were throwing. And what I love about what [Wells] did is he asked us to pitch on short rest. ... He didn't have his best stuff, but he still figured out a way to get guys out."
After Tennessee-Martin (9-22, 4-3 Ohio Valley Conference) opened the scoring with a solo shot by Jack Culumovic in the top of the second, Wells had to work his way around an 11-pitch at-bat to prevent further damage.
A two-out single by Andrew Fernandez in the fifth doubled the Skyhawks' lead, but Baumbach countered with a two-out double smashed down the left-field line to get UALR (15-11, 4-3) on the board.
Wells gave way to Jacob Weatherley in the sixth after 104 pitches, and while he wouldn't get the win, the Trojans ensured he'd be spared from a loss. Luke Pectol lined a leadoff solo shot into the netting over the right-field wall and Alex Seguine's single brought Andrew Pickering across as the go-ahead run.
"I've been pleased with how [this season] has turned out," said Wells, the Arkansas-Rich Mountain transfer who, with his 1.51 ERA through Friday, remains the Ohio Valley leader. "It's not to say I expected this much success, but it didn't really come as a surprise to me because I was prepared for it."
Zac Rice led off the top of the ninth for the Skyhawks with a solo home run just inside the left-field foul pole. Tennessee-Martin continued with a walk, a stolen base and a single by Fernandez, scoring Caleb Hobson after he'd advanced to third on a passed ball.
Trailing 4-3, UALR began the bottom of the ninth with Jake Wright's solo homer that hooked around the very same left-field foul pole -- and stayed as such after a replay review.
The Trojans kept the line moving, with three of their next four batters reaching base safely to come from behind a second time and begin the weekend with a win.
"Practice is for the coaches. Games are for the players," Curry said. "Once we got once, once [Wright] hit the big homer, you just let the dugout energy and culture take over."
Sun Belt
Troy 6, Arkansas State 5
Arkansas State put the tying run 90 feet from home in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't send things to extras in the series opener Thursday night against Troy at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro.
Hunter Draper struck out a career-best six Trojans in five innings but left with the Red Wolves down 2-1. Troy (21-10, 5-5 Sun Belt Conference) then stretched its lead to 5-1 in the seventh, highlighted by a solo home run by William Sullivan. ASU (9-17, 1-7) immediately responded with four runs in the home half to tie it 5-5.
The Red Wolves had the go-ahead run in scoring position in the eighth, but Troy took the lead in the ninth, scoring on a pinch-hit RBI single by Parker Sessions. Ben Thompson (3-0) worked the final 1 2/3 innings for the victory. Arlon Butts (2-2) took the loss.
ASUN
Liberty 4, Central Arkansas 2
The University of Central Arkansas scored twice in the top of the first but went cold after that to drop the series opener Thursday night against Liberty in Lynchburg, Va.
UCA (13-16, 5-5 ASUN) went ahead 2-0 thanks to AJ Mendolia's RBI double down the right-field line. The Bears recorded one hit over the next eight innings.
Liberty (13-16, 5-5) cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a wild pitch from UCA pitcher Jesse Barker (4-2).
The Flames tied the score in the second inning with a Cam Foster RBI single. In the sixth inning, Liberty scored twice to take a 4-2 lead on a pair of RBI singles.
Barker ended his day with four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, three walks and striking out five batters.
Liberty starter Garrett Horn (4-2) got the victory, allowing two runs on four walks and a hit over six innings, striking out 10. Reliever Trey Carter earned the three-inning save while allowing two baserunnners and striking out four.