SUGAR LAND, TX – The Houston Baptist Huskies continued their mastery of the University of Central Arkansas Bears on Friday afternoon, taking a 1-0 victory on Day 3 of the Southland Conference Tournament.
The loss to the seventh-seeded Huskies, UCA’s fifth consecutive this season and second in two days, eliminated the sixth-seeded Bears, who were playing their second game of the day. HBU (27-25), 3-0 in the tournament, advances to the championship game on Saturday.
HBU senior Ross Kennell tossed a four-hitter, striking out three and walking one. It was the third complete game by an HBU starting pitcher in three games in the tournament. UCA freshman Tyler Gray of Fort Smith, in just his second start and sixth appearance of the season, matched Kennell, allowing just six hits and one run, striking out three and walking one.
“Tyler Gray came out and threw strikes and had good stuff,’ said UCA head coach Allen Gum. “He was throwing his breaking ball for a strike and we played good defense behind him. I thought he was outstanding, coming out in a big situation, a big moment… for a freshman to do that was outstanding.’
The UCA offense never quite solved Kennell on Friday, or the rest of the HBU pitching staff throughout the season. The Bears scored just five runs against the Huskies in five games this season, and managed only 25 hits.
“We haven’t figured those guys out all year,’ said Gum. “And today we just didn’t get any timely hits. Give their guy credit. He had an outstanding game as well. He threw three pitches for strikes, in just about any count he wanted to. It just comes down to getting a bounce, getting a timely hit, and we just didn’t find one of those today.’
The Huskies got the only run they would need in the sixth inning when Thomas Clay doubled to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on Curtis Jones’ base hit into right field. UCA had a pair of hits in the fifth inning, a leadoff single from freshman right fielder Ty Tice and a base hit to right field by senior catcher Charles Deckard. However, Kennell recorded the final out on a fly ball.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Bears got a runner on when senior Brad Dillenberger reached on an error but a fielder’s choice ended the game and the season for the Bears.
“They’re just good. They have some good arms,’ said Gum. “They know how to pitch and they know how to play defense. The complete games are helping them out right now. They throw a lot of strikes and they play good defense, and it showed today. Like I said, we just needed a ball to find a hole, find a line, something like that, and it just didn’t happen today.
“When you play them in a low-scoring game like this, you just have to hope you get a couple across and we didn’t do that.’
UCA, the 2013 SLC champion and the 2014 runnerup, finished the season 29-24 overall. Deckard closed out his career with a multi-hit game, going 2 for 3 to lead UCA’s offense. Seven seniors played their final games, including Deckard, Dillenberger, Wesley Hoover, Josh Markel, Nick Rougeau, Chris Caudle and Nate Ferrell, who was injured for the second half of the season.
(Courtesy: UCA Sports Information)
The loss to the seventh-seeded Huskies, UCA’s fifth consecutive this season and second in two days, eliminated the sixth-seeded Bears, who were playing their second game of the day. HBU (27-25), 3-0 in the tournament, advances to the championship game on Saturday.
HBU senior Ross Kennell tossed a four-hitter, striking out three and walking one. It was the third complete game by an HBU starting pitcher in three games in the tournament. UCA freshman Tyler Gray of Fort Smith, in just his second start and sixth appearance of the season, matched Kennell, allowing just six hits and one run, striking out three and walking one.
“Tyler Gray came out and threw strikes and had good stuff,’ said UCA head coach Allen Gum. “He was throwing his breaking ball for a strike and we played good defense behind him. I thought he was outstanding, coming out in a big situation, a big moment… for a freshman to do that was outstanding.’
The UCA offense never quite solved Kennell on Friday, or the rest of the HBU pitching staff throughout the season. The Bears scored just five runs against the Huskies in five games this season, and managed only 25 hits.
“We haven’t figured those guys out all year,’ said Gum. “And today we just didn’t get any timely hits. Give their guy credit. He had an outstanding game as well. He threw three pitches for strikes, in just about any count he wanted to. It just comes down to getting a bounce, getting a timely hit, and we just didn’t find one of those today.’
The Huskies got the only run they would need in the sixth inning when Thomas Clay doubled to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on Curtis Jones’ base hit into right field. UCA had a pair of hits in the fifth inning, a leadoff single from freshman right fielder Ty Tice and a base hit to right field by senior catcher Charles Deckard. However, Kennell recorded the final out on a fly ball.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Bears got a runner on when senior Brad Dillenberger reached on an error but a fielder’s choice ended the game and the season for the Bears.
“They’re just good. They have some good arms,’ said Gum. “They know how to pitch and they know how to play defense. The complete games are helping them out right now. They throw a lot of strikes and they play good defense, and it showed today. Like I said, we just needed a ball to find a hole, find a line, something like that, and it just didn’t happen today.
“When you play them in a low-scoring game like this, you just have to hope you get a couple across and we didn’t do that.’
UCA, the 2013 SLC champion and the 2014 runnerup, finished the season 29-24 overall. Deckard closed out his career with a multi-hit game, going 2 for 3 to lead UCA’s offense. Seven seniors played their final games, including Deckard, Dillenberger, Wesley Hoover, Josh Markel, Nick Rougeau, Chris Caudle and Nate Ferrell, who was injured for the second half of the season.
(Courtesy: UCA Sports Information)
