SUN BELT
ARKANSAS STATE 6,
SOUTH ALABAMA 0
Right fielder Eli Davis went 2 for 3 and first baseman Kyle MacDonald was 2 for 3 as Arkansas State University (15-7, 4-0) remained undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play with a victory over South Alabama (11-9, 2-2) at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro.
After Davis scored on MacDonald's RBI groundout in the first and Drew Tipton scored on Alex Howard's sacrifice fly in the third inning to give ASU a 2-0 lead, the Red Wolves added three more runs in the fifth. MacDonald hit an RBI single to score Davis, Sky-Lar Culver reached on an error by South Alabama left fielder Ethan Wilson, and both MacDonald and Howard scored when Jaylon Deshazier grounded into a double play. MacDonald also had an RBI in the sixth inning when Tipton scored as MacDonald reached on a fielder's choice.
Zach Jackson (3-1) got the victory after allowing 7 hits with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts in 61/3 innings. Andrew Lannon and Zach Jarrod combined for 22/3 innings of scoreless relief, with each pitcher recording two strikeouts.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 7,
UALR 6 (12)
Chandler Davis scored when Mason Miller reached on a fielder's choice in the 12th inning Friday, handing Georgia Southern (11-10, 3-1 Sun Belt) a series-opening victory over the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (6-16, 1-3) in Statesboro, Ga.
Georgia Southern took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a Tyler Martin RBI single and an RBI double by Mason McWhorter. The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth inning when Steven Curry reached on a throwing error by UALR second baseman Chase Coker, which allowed Matt Anderson to score.
The Trojans cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth inning on a two-run home run by James Gann, but the Eagles got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a home run from Noah Searcy.
UALR took a lead after scoring four runs in the top of the ninth inning. Garrett Scott had a three-run double, then scored on Gann's RBI single to give the Trojans a 6-4 lead. Georgia Southern got an RBI groundout from Austin Thompson and an RBI single from Nolan Tressler in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
Riley Pittman led the Trojans offensively, going 3 for 5 with 1 run scored. Gann, Christian Reyes and Eldrige Figueora finished with 2 hits each for UALR. Curry led the Eagles by going 3 for 6 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI, while Martin, Anderson and Jason Swan had two hits each.
Reliever Donavin Buck (1-3) took the loss for the Trojans after allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits with 1 walk and 1 strikeout over 31/3 innings.
SOUTHLAND
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 3, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 1
The University of Central Arkansas managed just four hits Friday and got its only run courtesy of infielder Joshmar Doran in a loss to Stephen F. Austin in Conway.
Doran walked to begin the fifth inning for the Bears (9-13, 4-3 Southland Conference), then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bryce Dodd. After Kolby Johnson grounded out for the second out of the inning, Doran scored on Marco Navarro's RBI single. Navarro advanced to second on a wild pitch and a second walk put runners on first and second with two outs before Jay Anderson flied out to end the inning.
Stephen F. Austin (13-10, 7-0) got its three runs in the third inning on a wild pitch that allowed Brandon Uhse to score and a two-run single from Sean Moore.
Right-hander Cody Davenport took the loss for UCA after allowing all 3 Stephen F. Austin runs -- only 1 was earned -- on 5 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in 62/3 innings.
SWAC
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 7, ALABAMA A&M 3
Justin Robinson, Nick Kreutzer and Larry Sims had two hits each Friday and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (3-18, 2-8 Southwestern Athletic Conference) used a three-run second inning to claim a series-opening victory over Alabama A&M (6-18, 5-5 SWAC) in Huntsville, Ala.
Robinson singled to start the game, stole second base and scored two batters later to give UAPB a 1-0 lead, but Alabama A&M got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Jonathan Smith was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on Trevor Berkemeyer's single and stole home.
The Golden Lions took control of the game in the second inning. Braelin Hence started a one-out rally with a single up the middle. He then stole second base and advanced to third when Robinson struck out, but was able to reach first base after an error. Kruetzer then hit a three-run home run to put UAPB ahead 4-1.
The Bulldogs got an RBI single in the bottom of the second and a home run from Roop in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 4-3, but the Golden Lions countered with an RBI single from Brandon Simon in the fifth inning, as well as an RBI single from Sims and an error by Alabama A&M first baseman Richard Polinsky that allowed Tywan Mackey to score in the sixth to set the final margin.
Sports on 03/23/2019