UCA downs UALR after brawl

Thursday, April 3, 2014

UALR and Central Arkansas added another chapter to their baseball rivalry Wednesday night, albeit an ugly one.

UCA beat UALR 5-4 in 11 innings at Bear Stadium in Conway, but a bench-clearing brawl in the bottom of the 10th inning marred the Bears’ first victory over the Trojans since Coach Allen Gum took over UCA’s program in 2011.

“I’m disappointed we lost the game,” UALR Coach Scott Norwood told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by telephone late Wednesday night. “But nothing good comes from anything like that happening.”

Gum declined comment when reached by the Democrat-Gazette.

With one out and the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th, UALR’s Tanner Rockwell hit UCA freshman Carson Dowdle with a pitch. It was the fourth time a UCA batter was hit by a pitch in the game, and the second time Dowdle was plunked.

Sophomore Lee Raley pinch-ran for Dowdle. Raley stole second base but was called back to first base after it appeared that batter Brandon Montalvo’s swing interfered with Trojans catcher Drew Merten.

Shortly after Raley returned to first base, UALR Coach Scott Norwood and UCA Coach Allen Gum began to argue near home plate. Multiple video posts on social media sites showed both benches clearing as the coaches argued. Video showed several players and coaches from both teams involved in the incident, as well as UCA personnel trying to intervene.

Norwood, Gum and UALR pitcher Chad Bradford, who did not pitch Wednesday, were all ejected.

After play resumed, Montalvo struck out swinging for the second out. Junior Brad Dillenberger walked to put runners on first and second, but Raley was caught in a rundown between second and third to end the inning.

UCA sophomore right fielder Tyler Langley walked to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning, one of 11 walks issued by Trojans pitchers. Senior center fielder Doug Votolato’s sacrifice bunt moved Langley to second before sophomore second baseman Chris Townsend walked.

Junior first baseman Nate Ferrell then hit a fly ball to center field, but UALR’s Bryson Thionnet dropped it, allowing Langley to come home with the winning run in a game that lasted 3 hours, 50 minutes.

The Trojans, who led 4-0 in the sixth inning, committed four errors in the game.

Junior right-hander Connor McClain (4-1) pitched three innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory. He struck out four and didn’t allow a hit or a walk. Rockwell (0-2) took the loss.

Senior third baseman Ben Crumpton led UALR offensively, going 3 for 5 with 2 RBI. The Trojans outhit the Bears 8-5.

UCA (16-10) hosts Southeastern Louisiana for a three game series this weekend, beginning Friday. UALR (11-15) begins a three-game series against Georgia State on Friday.

UALR and UCA are scheduled to meet one more time this season, with the Trojans playing host to the Bears on April 23 at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.

UAPB-MISSISSIPPI Rebels rout Lions

Arkansas-Pine Bluff lost its third consecutive game, falling to Mississippi 11-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Swayze Field in Oxford, Miss.

The Rebels (22-8) scored11 runs on 11 hits while holding the Golden Lions (8-20) to two hits.

Ole Miss took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Braxton Lee walked, stole second base and came home when pitcher Kyle Schwartz committed a throwing error on Auston Bousfield’s ground ball to the mound. Bousfield scored on Austin Anderson’s RBI double. Two batters later, Sikes Orvis singled up the middle for a 3-0 lead. Will Allen came home when John Gatlin hit into a double play.

Orvis’ two-run double made it 6-0 in the bottom of the third and he scored later in the inning for a 7-0 advantage. Ole Miss added a run in the fourth to make it 8-0.

UAPB scored its only run in the top of the fifth when Mike Wieland, who walked earlier in the inning, scored on a fielder’s choice.

The Rebels answered, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning for a 11-1 lead. J.B. Woodman hit his first home run of the season and Bousfield hit a two-run single.

Schwartz took the loss for UAPB, allowing 2 earned runs (4 runs) on 3 hits in 1 inning. Evan Anderson earned the victory for Ole Miss, allowing one hit through 3 2/3 innings.

Sports, Pages 19 on 04/03/2014