Central Arkansas had a lead when it entered a lengthy weather delay Thursday at the Southland Conference Tournament, but it couldn’t keep up with Houston Baptist once the game resumed.
Houston Baptist scored four runs in the three innings immediately following the delay from rain and lightning and beat UCA 6-1 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas. The loss sends UCA to the loser’s bracket, where it will play Northwestern (La.) State at 9 a.m. today in an elimination game.
At a glance
Constellation Field, Sugar Land, Texas
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Houston Baptist 6, Central Arkansas 1
Northwestern (La.) State 4, Nicholls State 3
Southeastern Louisiana 3, McNeese State 2 (12)
Sam Houston State 6, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1
TODAY’S GAMES
Northwestern (La.) State vs. Central Arkansas, 9 a.m.
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, noon
Houston Baptist vs. Northwestern State/ UCA, 4 p.m.
The No. 6 seed Bears (28-23) took a 1-0 lead after two innings before a storm moved through the area. The teams waited through a 2-hour, 21-minute delay. When the game resumed, No. 7 Houston Baptist (26-25) scored two runs in the bottom of the third, one in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the eighth as UCA was held scoreless.
Fourteen of Houston Baptist’s 15 hits were singles.
“They just found the holes,” UCA Coach Allen Gum said. “Up the middle, chopping through … and give them credit, that’s their game. And when they get that game’s going, they go really, really well. They showed us that earlier in the year. They are not a power-hitting team, but they hit a lot of ground balls, and when they find the holes, good things happen.”
UCA starter Chris Durham gave up 3 runs on 8 hits in 4 innings, and reliever Derek Beier allowed 3 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings.
Houston Baptist’s Taylor Wright held the Bears to six hits and struck out five in the complete-game victory over the Bears this season. The Huskies have won all four meetings between the teams this season.
The delay began when UCA had gotten a runner to first base in the top of the third. Wright returned to the mound after more than two hours and prevented that runner, and any others, from scoring.
“I was trying to relax and reset [during the delay],” Wright said. “With the runner on first, I was going to try to keep that guy from scoring and hopefully the bats would get going.”
Ty Tice went 3 for 4 and scored UCA’s only run when he doubled, advanced to third on an infield single and scored on a wild pitch. Tyler Langley went 2 for 4 for the Bears.
Curtis Jones had three hits and three RBI for Houston Baptist, which is one victory away from reaching the tournament final.
Sports on 05/22/2015