Allen Gum knew he couldn't rely on one pitcher to get the University of Central Arkansas through Tuesday's nonconference game at UALR.
The Bears open a Southland Conference series against McNeese State on Thursday with seeding in the conference tournament on the line. The Bears coach hoped he could get two or three quality innings from multiple pitchers Tuesday so he could preserve as many arms as possible for McNeese State.
He got exactly what he needed.
Riley Echols held UALR to one run over three innings and Bo Stitch, Derek Beier and Chris Durham held UALR scoreless the rest of the way in UCA's 2-1 victory at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock.
Echols struck out four and walked three but left a runner stranded on first and third in the first inning and on first in the second and third innings, while the relievers allowed only five base runners the rest of the game.
"It is tough when somebody is throwing really well and you put someone else out there, but you got to do it," Gum said. "We needed to get some guys some work and get them on the mound before this weekend."
Gum twice replaced a pitcher who was cruising Tuesday, and the relievers did just fine.
Echols, who gave up four runs May 3 in a loss at Incarnate Word, pitched around two walks in the first inning, gave up an RBI single in the second inning and pitched around a two-out walk in the third inning.
Then Stitch, Beier and Durham held the Trojans to two hits over the final six innings, while Logan Preston hit a home run in the fifth inning -- his ninth of the season -- and Chris Townsend scored on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to provide the Bears' runs.
"What you saw here tonight was a program that is established and knows how to win and knows how to win close games, versus a program that is in its infancy and is learning how to win a game like that," UALR Coach Chris Curry said.
UALR (15-31) led 1-0 and starter Stephen Chandler had held UCA (25-21) to two hits heading into the fifth. Then, with one out, Chandler left a fastball up to Preston, whose home run to left field tied the game.
"Always hunting the fastball," said Preston, who turned 22 on Tuesday. "Got a pitch to drive and I hit it. "
Chandler got out of the inning and was relieved by Brent Mason in the sixth, who escaped a jam and gave up only one hit until the eighth. That's when Chris Townsend reached on a fielder's choice, Brad Dillenberger hit a two-out single and Ty Tice was hit by a pitch to bring up Preston with the bases loaded.
Right before Preston stepped to the plate Curry visited Mason on the mound but said he never thought of bringing in a reliever. Mason then lost control of a cut fastball that skipped to the back stop, which allowed Townsend to score and give UCA a 2-1 lead.
Gum went to his bullpen again, and Durham pitched around a single in the eighth and threw a perfect ninth. UCA held UALR to five hits, and the Trojans advanced a runner to third only twice.
"I thought the way we were swinging the bats and they were changing their bullpen a lot, I thought eventually we would get to them," Curry said. "Every game we need to force a team to beat us."
MISSISSIPPI 17,
ARKANSAS STATE 3
Arkansas State (23-27) suffered its worst loss of the season Tuesday against Mississippi (29-24) in seven innings at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro.
Sikes Orvis hit two home runs in the first two innings for Ole Miss, which led 8-0 after an inning and a half. Orvis’ grand slam gave the Rebels a 4-0 lead in the first inning, and his three-run home run made it 8-0 in the second.
Matt Burgess led ASU with three hits.
Sports on 05/13/2015