LITTLE ROCK, AR – UALR baseball (15-30, 11-15) came up short in the final home conference game of the year with ULM (25-26, 12-15) as the Trojans took a 6-1 loss at Gary Hogan Field on Sunday.
Sunday’s loss drops UALR to ninth place in the Sun Belt Conference standings, a half-game behind ULM and Texas State.
“It was a tough day,” head coach Chris Curry said. “It wasn’t because of a lack of effort. It was a tight game early, and I thought Cam Allen gave us a solid start.”
The game remained scoreless until ULM took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Jacob Stockton led the inning off with a single through the left side before advancing to second on sacrifice bunt by Anthony Herrera. ULM catcher Dalton Todd walked on five pitches prior to Stockton being picked off at second base by UALR starter Cameron Allen. After the successful pickoff attempt, Nathan Pugh jacked a two-run homer to right center.
ULM picked up three more runs in the top of the seventh on three hits. Pugh walked with one out on four pitches before advancing to second on a single by Keelin Rasch. First baseman Danny Springer came through with a single up the middle, allowing Pugh to score from second. The Warhawks picked up two more runs on a double by Justin Stawychny as Rasch and Springer crossed the plate to make it a 5-0 lead.
The Trojans finally broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, Petr Sila singled down the left field line. Ryan Scott came through with his 19th double of the season as Sila advanced two bags. Tanner Rockwell earned his sixth RBI of the weekend with a deep sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Sila to cross the plate for the Trojans’ first run.
In the ninth inning, Rockwell came on in relief for Dyllon Brownmiller, who entered the game in the sixth inning for Allen. ULM got the leadoff batter on as Pugh doubled to right center. Rasch earned his fifth hit of the game with an RBI single to center, allowing Pugh to cross the plate and up the Warhawks’ lead to 6-1.
ULM’s five-run lead was just too much for UALR as the Trojans grounded out, flied out and struck out to end the game.
Along with the need to win at Arkansas State this coming weekend, UALR will also need losses from ULM and/or Texas State to have a chance for a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Troy, Ala. ULM faces rival Louisiana while Texas State plays rival UT Arlington in the final weekend of conference play.
“We’ll play hard next weekend and see what happens,” Curry said. “If it’s supposed to happen, it will, and if it’s not, it won’t. We’ll control what we can, but we need to gather ourselves. We’re not done by any stretch, but in order to do what we need to do, we have to capitalize on situations when they present themselves.”
UALR will compete in its final home game of the season against in-state rival Central Arkansas on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. before starting the final Sun Belt series of the year at rival Arkansas State on Thursday.
(Courtesy: UALR Sports Information)
Sunday’s loss drops UALR to ninth place in the Sun Belt Conference standings, a half-game behind ULM and Texas State.
“It was a tough day,” head coach Chris Curry said. “It wasn’t because of a lack of effort. It was a tight game early, and I thought Cam Allen gave us a solid start.”
The game remained scoreless until ULM took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Jacob Stockton led the inning off with a single through the left side before advancing to second on sacrifice bunt by Anthony Herrera. ULM catcher Dalton Todd walked on five pitches prior to Stockton being picked off at second base by UALR starter Cameron Allen. After the successful pickoff attempt, Nathan Pugh jacked a two-run homer to right center.
ULM picked up three more runs in the top of the seventh on three hits. Pugh walked with one out on four pitches before advancing to second on a single by Keelin Rasch. First baseman Danny Springer came through with a single up the middle, allowing Pugh to score from second. The Warhawks picked up two more runs on a double by Justin Stawychny as Rasch and Springer crossed the plate to make it a 5-0 lead.
The Trojans finally broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, Petr Sila singled down the left field line. Ryan Scott came through with his 19th double of the season as Sila advanced two bags. Tanner Rockwell earned his sixth RBI of the weekend with a deep sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Sila to cross the plate for the Trojans’ first run.
In the ninth inning, Rockwell came on in relief for Dyllon Brownmiller, who entered the game in the sixth inning for Allen. ULM got the leadoff batter on as Pugh doubled to right center. Rasch earned his fifth hit of the game with an RBI single to center, allowing Pugh to cross the plate and up the Warhawks’ lead to 6-1.
ULM’s five-run lead was just too much for UALR as the Trojans grounded out, flied out and struck out to end the game.
Along with the need to win at Arkansas State this coming weekend, UALR will also need losses from ULM and/or Texas State to have a chance for a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Troy, Ala. ULM faces rival Louisiana while Texas State plays rival UT Arlington in the final weekend of conference play.
“We’ll play hard next weekend and see what happens,” Curry said. “If it’s supposed to happen, it will, and if it’s not, it won’t. We’ll control what we can, but we need to gather ourselves. We’re not done by any stretch, but in order to do what we need to do, we have to capitalize on situations when they present themselves.”
UALR will compete in its final home game of the season against in-state rival Central Arkansas on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. before starting the final Sun Belt series of the year at rival Arkansas State on Thursday.
(Courtesy: UALR Sports Information)
