Baseball: Toups lefts Naturals past Travs in 13 innings

SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas went to extra innings Tuesday to clinch its series with Arkansas.

Corey Toups hit a run-scoring single up the middle in the 13th inning to give the Naturals an 8-7 victory over the Travelers before a crowd of 2,809 at Arvest Ballpark. Toups went 3 for 6 for the Naturals in a game that last four hours and 15 minutes.

Northwest Arkansas (21-18) broke a first-place tie with Arkansas (20-19) in the Texas League North standings and can complete a three-game sweep of the Travelers with win today.

Arkansas tied the game 7-7 in the ninth inning when Sean Coyle hit his second home run of the game. Northwest Arkansas failed to score in the ninth after Logan Moon led off with a double and moved to third with one out.

Both teams had a chance to win the game in the 11th. The Travelers failed to score after loading the bases and the Naturals put two runners on before Mauricio Ramos struck out to end the inning.

Northwest Arkansas took a 6-1 lead in the third inning with six runs on five hits. Toups gave Northwest Arkansas the lead with a two-run single to center and Frank Schwindel hit a double to left to put the Naturals ahead 4-1.

Arkansas closed to within 6-4 with the help of a two-run home run from Eric Aguillera then tied the score on a two-run double by Alex Yarbrough in the seventh.

Northwest Arkansas regained the lead again on a double by Toups and a single by Ramos.

SHORT HOPS

• Northwest Arkansas catcher Zane Evans was halfway to second base in the eighth inning before his line drive into the bullpen in left field was ruled a foul ball. Evans was ejected after he apparently said something to one of the umpires. Terrance Gore struck out after he inherited the 1-2 count on Evans.

• Arkansas pitcher Jose Molina appeared to be in fine form when he retired six consecutive batters to start the game. But he was knocked out of the game in the third inning during a six-run rally that began with a walk.

Molina faced nine batters and allowed five hits in the inning before reliever Josh Roenicke got the final out.

• Right-hander Andy Ferguson (Benton/Arkansas State) continued his comeback from an arm injury with six strong innings for High-A Wilmington against Salem Tuesday night. Ferguson (0-2) allowed one run on four hits and struck out six while lowering his earned run average to 2.63 in three starts for the Blue Rocks. Salem scored five runs in the seventh inning to win 6-1.

On Deck: The series continues at 7:05 p.m. today with right-hander Jake Junis (9-6, 3.19 ERA) going for the Naturals against right-hander Jordan Kipper (10-5, 3.55 ERA) for the Travelers.

Today's Promotion: $4 group night on reserved tickets and Back To School special with 25 percent off on kids apparel in the Naturals team store.

Kids 12 and under eat free.

On The Air: KQSM-FM, 92.1

On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com

Sports on 08/03/2016

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