SUNDAY’S STATE DIVISION I BASEBALL

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 9,

CENTRAL ARKANSAS 4

Northern Illinois University had 14 hits and took advantage of four University of Central Arkansas errors Sunday to take the season-opening series at Bear Stadium in Conway.

The Bears (1-2) fell behind 7-0 before scoring a pair of runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to get within 7-4.

The Huskies (2-1) posted two more runs in the top of the eighth to put the game away.

The Bears scored twice in the sixth off NIU starter Michael Lasiewicz, who went 6 innings and allowed 4 hits and no earned runs, striking out 8. Hunter Strong reached on an error and Tyler Smith followed with a double to left field. Joey Pinney's ground out scored Strong, and pinch-hitter Brett D'Amico followed with an infield single that brought in Smith.

UCA got two more in the seventh off NIU reliever William Anderson. Rigo Aguilar singled to right field, and two outs later, Dusty Wright reached on a fielding error. Strong loaded the bases with an infield single, and Smith brought home two runs with a base hit through the left side to close the gap to 7-4.

Smith, a junior transfer from Alvin Community College, finished 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. Strong and Aguilar had two hits apiece and both scored a run, while Wright went 1 for 3 with a run scored.

Northern Illinois had a pair of solo home runs from Samuel Vega and Hunter Bross among its 14 hits.

UAPB 8, ALABAMA STATE 5

The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff used a big inning to earn the victory in the final game of the Andre Dawson Classic on Sunday in New Orleans.

Alabama State (2-1) jumped ahead early with a three-run first inning, which started with an RBI single by Cage Cox that scored Joseph Estrada. A bases-loaded walk to Hunter Allen drove home Yamil Pagan, and a sacrifice fly by Hunter Phillips capped the scoring.

UAPB (2-1) came back in the top of the second inning and put up four runs against freshman Dalton Wilder (0-1) in his first collegiate start. The Golden Lions used an extra-base hit to score three unearned runs to jump ahead.

ILLINOIS STATE 18-11, ARKANSAS STATE 3-4

Illinois State had five players with two or more hits in each game to win both games of the doubleheader and take the series Sunday against Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

Owen Miller led the Redbirds (2-1) in the first game, going 3 for 6 with 2 runs and 2 RBI.

Noah Sadler drove in 6 runs on 3 hits, and Derek Parola drove in 5 more on 5 hits in the second game.

Grant Hawkins led the Red Wolves (1-2) with three hits, and Logan Andersen added two more in the first game.

Jeremy Brown had two hits for ASU in the second game.

TENNESSEE TECH 4-17, UALR 7-7

The Trojans (1-2) had three multi-run innings to take the first game before falling to the Golden Eagles (2-1) in the second game Sunday in Cookeville, Tenn.

The bottom of the order got the job done for the Trojans in the first game as Troy Alexander in the seven spot went 3 for 4 with 3 runs and an RBI, while Eldrige Figueroa hit behind him, going 2 for 3 with 3 RBI. Christian Reyes drove in two runs.

Donavin Buck (1-0) got the win for UALR after coming into the game in the fifth inning with the Trojans up 4-3.

Tennessee Tech scored three runs in each of five innings in the second game to rout UALR.

Chase Coker had two hits, and Riley Pittman, Alexander and Kale Emshoff each drove in two runs for UALR.

Sports on 02/19/2018

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