SUN BELT CONFERENCE
LOUISIANA-MONROE 5, UALR 2
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (17-19, 9-6 Sun Belt Conference) saw its four-game winning streak snapped Friday night as Louisiana-Monroe (16-21, 6-9) defeated the Trojans at Warhawk Field in Monroe, La.
UALR, which entered Friday’s game winning 10 of its past 11 games, was held to six hits by the Warhawks and stranded 11 base runners.
Louisiana-Monroe took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Andrew Beesley’s RBI single, which scored Chad Bell. The Warhawks made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Braedon Barrett reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Ryan Humeniuk to score.
The Trojans cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth with Troy Alexander’s sacrifice fly. The Warhawks extended their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning as Humeniuk came home on an error by UALR second baseman Chase Coker.
UALR pulled within 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning on Ryan Benavidez’s RBI groundout. That was it offensively for the Trojans, as ULM added a two-run home run by Humeniuk in the bottom of the eighth for a 5-2 advantage.
Trojans starting pitcher Chandler Fidel (4-3) allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings while striking out 5 and walking 3. Nick Perez and Eldridge Figueroa each had two hits to lead the Trojans.
Humeniuk, Beesley and Bell all had two hits apiece for ULM. Trey Jeans (2-6) pitched 6 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 8. He walked three.
TEXAS STATE 5, ARKANSAS STATE 3
Arkansas State University (22-18, 8-9 Sun Belt) lost its second consecutive game to Texas State (26-13, 11-6) at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, Texas. The Red Wolves led 3-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Bobcats scored two runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 4-3 lead.
Texas State pulled within 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning on Travon Benton’s two-run double, which scored Will Hollis and Jaxon Williams.
The Bobcats tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Skyler Valentine hit a double down the left-field line, scoring Dalton Shuffield. Valentine came home on a wild pitch by ASU starting pitcher Zach Jackson to give the Bobcats a 4-3 lead.
Texas State added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Shuffield doubled to right field, scoring John Wuthrich, who doubled to lead off the inning.
The Red Wolves took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Kyle Mac-Donald reached on a fielding error by the second baseman Williams. Then, on a 1-1 pitch from Texas State starting pitcher Nicholas Fraze, Sky-Lar Culver hit a two-run home run to right-center field to make it 2-0 Red Wolves.
Two batters later, Alex Howard homered to left field for a 3-0 advantage. The fourth-inning home runs represented two of ASU’s three hits Friday, with its other hit a leadoff double by Howard in the top of the seventh inning. Howard led the Red Wolves offensively, going 2 for 4 with a RBI and a run scored.
Shuffield, Valentine and Wuthrich each had two hits for Texas State, which finished with eight hits.
Jackson (5-3) took the loss for ASU, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Fraze (6-3) pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and striking out 3 while walking 2.
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 6-4, SAM HOUSTON STATE 1-1
The University of Central Arkansas (19-20, 10-7) swept a doubleheader against Southland Conference leader Sam Houston State (22-14, 14-6) at Bear Stadium in Conway.
UCA held Sam Houston State to two runs on 13 hits in the doubleheader. Cody Davenport (3-3) pitched a complete-game four-hitter in the first game for the Bears. Davenport allowed 1 run, struck out 9 and walked 1 in 132 pitches.
Marco Navarro went 1 for 3 with 2 RBI and scored 2 runs.
Sam Houston State led 1-0 in the fifth inning on Jordan Cannon’s solo home run.
But UCA tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning with Tyler Smith’s sacrifice fly, then took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning on Joshmar Doran’s groundout, which scored Navarro.
The Bears scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull away from the Bearkats. Navarro hit a two-run double down the left-field line for a 4-1 lead. Doran and Brett D’Amico had back-to-back bases-loaded walks to set the final score.
Hayden Wesneski (6-1) lost for the first time this season for the Bearkats. Wesneski allowed 6 runs, 5 earned, on 5 hits and struck out 7 in 7 2/3 innings. In the second game, UCA trailed 1-0 after the top of the fifth inning as Sam Houston State’s Jack Rogers’ RBI single scored Colton Cowser.
The Bears responded, tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning on Doran’s sacrifice fly.
Josh Ragan hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 4-1 advantage.
Noah Cameron started for the Bears, allowing 1 run on 6 hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked three.
Gavin Stone (3-2) earned the victory in relief of Cameron. Stone gave up three hits in 2 1/3 innings, but did not allow a run.
Beau Orlando was UCA’s only player with at least two hits in the second game.
Jordan Cannon recorded three hits for Sam Houston State. Cowser had two hits. Cody Wolf took the loss for the Bearkats after allowing three runs on two hits in an inning of relief.