OHIO VALLEY
UALR 8, Tenn.-Martin 3
Seven strong innings from starter Noah Burkey combined with a four-run fifth inning powered the University of Arkansas-Little Rock over Tennessee-Martin at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.
Burkey allowed the only two Tennessee-Martin hits, as the Skyhawks scored three runs in the top of the third, taking a 3-2 lead with two RBI singles after the Trojans scored twice in the bottom of the first inning.
But UALR (16-11, 5-3 Ohio Valley Conference) countered with two runs in the home half of the third, scoring Nico Baumbach on a Luke Pectol single before Skyler Trevino came home on a balk.
The Trojans then buried Tennessee-Martin (9-23, 4-4) in the fifth, the big blow coming on Alex Seguine's two-out, two-run double.
Scott McDonough and Erik McKnight each pitched perfect innings to close things out for UALR and secure the series victory.
ASUN
Liberty 11, Central Arkansas 6
Despite scoring five runs in the final three innings, the University of Central Arkansas fell to Liberty at Lynchburg, Va.
The Bears (13-7, 5-6 ASUN) and Flames (14-17, 6-5) were tied 1-1 after the first inning, UCA scoring its run on a Kolby Johnson RBI single.
After scoreless second and third innings, Liberty took a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning. UCA pitcher Payton Windham gave up three consecutive hits to start the inning before walking Kane Kepley with the bases loaded to make the score 2-1.
Oliver Laufman relieved Windham but walked his first batter on four pitches, making it 3-1, and giving up a Camden Troyer RBI single to make it 5-1. Jaylen Guy drove in a final run on a groundout, pushing the margin to 6-1.
Liberty put together another five-run inning in the sixth, scoring three runs against Dillan Janak and two against Spencer Nelson.
UCA scored twice in the seventh inning on a Kade Seldomridge RBI single and a groundout by AJ Mendolia to make it 11-3. Kolby Johnson hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning to make it 11-6.
SUN BELT
Troy 8, Arkansas State 1
Arkansas State mustered one run on six hits Friday night and could never come close to digging its way out of an early 4-0 hole against Troy at Jonesboro's Tomlinson Stadium.
The Trojans scored twice on consecutive two-out, bases-loaded walks in the first, then added with Shane Lewis' RBI single and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. The only ASU run came on a wild pitch in the fifth that allowed Wil French to score as Troy (22-10, 6-5 Sun Belt Conference) recorded 15 of 27 outs on strikeouts.
Austin Brook took the loss for ASU (9-18, 1-8), failing to make it out of the first inning after he allowed 2 runs on 1 hit with 3 walks. Chase Armstrong followed with 41/3 innings, scattering 4 hits and 2 runs on 78 pitches.
SWAC
ALCORN STATE 5, UAPB 4
Diego Lopez-Molina went 3 for 5 with 2 runs batted in as Alcorn State (4-21, 2-8 Southwestern Athletic Conference) put a stop to a two-game losing streak by picking up a road victory at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex on Friday in Pine Bluff.
Tyler Daniels and Kalum Banks each had two hits for the Braves, who scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings to erase a 2-1 deficit. It was Lopez-Molina's two-run single in the third that gave Alcorn State the lead for good.
Edwin DeLaCruz had two hits while Isaiah Cohens had two RBI for UAPB (8-20, 1-9), which has lost its past nine games. The Golden Lions had won the previous four head-to-head meetings between the teams before losing the series opener.