Arkansas State will hang around for another day at the Sun Belt Tournament in Lafayette, La.
The eighth-seeded Red Wolves extended their season Friday by rallying from a two run deficit to defeat top-seeded Troy 3-2 in an elimination game at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
ASU (28-30) will play fourth-seeded Florida Atlantic (37-20) at 9 a.m. today. If the Red Wolves win, they’ll play again at 4 p.m. with a chance to advance to Sunday’s tournament final.
The Red Wolves had lost three of four games against Troy (40-18) going into Friday, with all of them being decided by a single run, but ASU rallied from a 2-0 deficit Friday by scoring a run in the fourth inning and two more in the sixth while holding Troy scoreless over the final six innings.
“This is huge,” ASU center fielder Collin Massanelli said. “Win and advance, that’s what we’re doing right now. Just trying to get to the next day.”
Massanelli, a sophomore, was crucial in helping ASU get to today.
He struck out in the fourth inning with a runner on second base and ASU trailing 2-1, but he made the most of his next at-bat. With Ryan Roberts on second base, Massanelli’s single to left field scored Roberts and put ASU ahead to stay.
John Koch, who relieved starter Chandler Rogers with one out in the sixth, held Troy to two hits over the final three innings to earn his fifth victory.
Koch retired the first two Troy batters in the ninth, then walked Logan Pierce and gave up a single to Danny Collins to put the go-ahead runner on base before Trae Santos flied out to end the game.
Troy took a 2-0 lead off Woodhouse in the third inning when Collins hit an RBI triple and Santos drove in Collins with a sacrifice fly.
ASU pulled to within 2-1 in the fourth when Derek Birginske doubled to left field to score Logan Uxa.
Stuart Levy doubled in the sixth, advanced to third on Roberts’ single and scored when Birginske grounded into a double play. Massanelli’s single gave ASU the lead.
Sun Belt glance at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field Lafayette, La.
FRIDAY’S SCORES
Florida Atlantic 3, Troy 1 (10) Louisiana-Lafayette 9, South Alabama 2 Arkansas State 3, Troy 2 Florida International vs. S. Alabama (n)
TODAY’S GAMES All times
Central Arkansas St. vs. Florida Atlantic, 9 a.m.
Louisiana-Lafayette vs. FIU/South Alabama, 12:30 p.m.
NOTE If Arkansas State beats Florida Atlantic, the teams will play again at 4 p.m. If FIU or South Alabama beats Louisiana-Lafayette, the teams will play again at 7:30 p.m.
Sports, Pages 25 on 05/25/2013