Box Score LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas State (14-6, 3-0) finished off
a sweep of UALR (10-10, 0-3) with a 7-5 win over the Trojans on Sunday
afternoon from Gary Hogan Field. Red
Wolves starting pitcher Bradley Wallace tossed six strong innings, while
striking out eight batters and only allowing one run. A four-run sixth inning
for Arkansas State extended its lead to 6-1 and was enough to hold off the
Trojans who scored four runs over the final two innings.
Junior Ben Crumpton paced the Trojans
offensively, going 3-for-5 on the afternoon. Crumpton ended the weekend hitting
.538 (7-for-13) and his performance on Sunday extended his hitting streak to 13
games. Senior Chris Burk was 2-for-5
on the day with one run scored, while senior Myles Parma was 1-for-4 including a two-run inside-the-park home
run.
Arkansas State struck first with a pair of runs in the top of
the third inning. Back-to-back doubles from Collin Massaneli and Ryan Emery
produced the first run of the afternoon for the Red Wolves. Logan Uxa followed
with an RBI-single up the middle, scoring Emery and giving ASU a 2-0 advantage
over UALR.
UALR finally got on the scoreboard in
the bottom of the fifth inning, doing all its damage with two outs and nobody
on in the frame. Sophomore Sage Gasaway
started the rally with a sharp single up the middle. Crumpton then lined his
third hit of the afternoon to right field, advancing Gasaway to third base.
Junior Austin Pfeiffer followed with
a ground ball to third base, but an errant throw to second base from Claude
Johnson pulled Alex Potts off the bag and allowed Crumpton to slide in
safely. After five complete innings, ASU led UALR 2-1.
The Red Wolves did not allow the
Trojans to hang around long and scored four runs, all with two outs, in the top
half of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third base and first base
open, UALR elected to pitch to Massaneli who delivered an infield RBI-single.
Ryan Emery followed with his second double of the afternoon, plating two more runs
for the visitors. Arkansas State pushed across another run in the inning
courtesy of a throwing error that extended the Red Wolves lead to 6-1.
UALR starting
pitcher Ethan Schlechte was credited
with six runs, but only two were earned, as the junior threw six complete
innings with six strikeouts.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, UALR did
its best to mount a comeback. After a double down the left field line by Burk,
Parma lined a base hit to centerfield. Massaneli, the Arkansas State
centerfielder, dove for the line drive, but his efforts fell short as the ball
got passed him and trickled all the way to wall. As a result, Parma circled the
bases for his first home run of the season. After junior Bryson Thionnet drew a walk, freshman pinch-hitter Ryan Scott roped
an RBI-double down the left field line. A three-run frame by UALR cut its
deficit to two runs heading into the final inning.
Arkansas State added an insurance run in
the top of the ninth inning courtesy of a double from Logan Uxa and an
RBI-single from Claude Johnson, extending its lead to 7-4.
In the bottom of the ninth, an RBI-double
to right center from senior John Clark scored
Blake Johnson, who singled earlier
in the inning, and brought the score to 7-5. With two outs and runners on the
corners, UALR brought the tying run to the plate, but Arkansas State closer
John Koch struck out Thionnet to end the game.
UALR returns to action on Tuesday, March 19
when they travel for a midweek game against Louisiana Tech. First pitch from
Ruston is scheduled for 6 p.m.
