Box Score TROY, Ala. ? The UALR baseball team (9-26, 5-13) pulled out a 6-5 win at Troy (23-17, 11-6) on Saturday night behind a big fourth inning and a solid relief outing from senior Steve Gilgenbach.
Four of UALR's eight hits came in the fourth innings, as the Trojans manufactured four runs to break a 2-2 tie and take the lead for good. Gilgenbach went the final 4.0 innings in relief of starter Levi Laughlin, and picked up his second save of the year after forcing Troy to strand two runners in the bottom of the ninth.
Trailing 6-4 in the ninth, Troy's Josh Blackwell drew a leadoff walk to open the inning. Gilgenbach retired the next two batters he faced, but hit Adam Bryant with a pitch to put two runners on base with two outs on the board. Steven Felix then cut UALR's lead to a run, 6-5, with a RBI single up the middle. With the tying run on second, Gilgenbach got Michael Precise to fly out to center to end the game.
Gilgenbach worked the final 4.0 innings, allowing just one hit and one run, while striking out five batters. Laughlin improved to 5-2 on the year after going 5.0 innings with seven hits and four runs allowed (all earned).
UALR broke open a 2-2 ballgame by pushing across four runs in the fourth, after sophomore Brad Swiderski started the rally with a leadoff walk. The Trojans loaded the bases off singles by freshman Zach Rowles and senior Nick DeSanctis, and junior Eric Hanlon followed with a two-run base knock to left center to give UALR a 4-2 lead.
The Trojans tacked on two more runs in the frame off a RBI groundout by junior Kody Kroll, and a run-scoring single from junior Matt Apfel. UALR was unable to build on its 6-2 lead, however, as the Trojans went hitless over the final five innings.
Senior Robert Taylor went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the win, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Taylor plated the team's first run with a two-out, RBI double in the top of the first, and tied the game at 2-all with a run-scoring single in the third.
Troy's Brian Miller went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI in the losing effort. Miller hit a two-run homer (his fourth of the year) in the bottom of the second to give Troy a short lived 2-1 lead.
Ryan Ellison (2-2) was credited with the loss after surrendering eight hits, four walks and six runs over 5.0 innings of work. Relievers Rob Brown and Jordan Mathers held UALR without a hit over the final four innings.
The two teams return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. for the final contest of the three-game series.
