Baseball: March 10 Scoreboard
Stephen F. Austin 8, New Mexico 5
Central Arkansas 12, Wichita State 1
UT Arlington 3, Abilene Christian 1
Texas 7, UIW 1
Houston 17, Sam Houston State 7
UTSA 3, Houston Baptist 0
Stephen F. Austin 8, New Mexico 5
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M
. – Stephen F. Austin rallied three times, culminating in a four-run eighth inning to finally take the lead, knocking off New Mexico 8-5 in Albuquerque. It snaps a four-game skid for the Lumberjacks, who improve to 5-12 on the season.
The rally came on the heels of a season-high 14 hits for the Lumberjacks, who were led by three hits each by designated hitter Eric DeJesus, batting in the nine spot. The 4-7 spots each tallied a pair of hits each, comprised of Dan O’Neill, Garrett McMullen, Tyler Boxwell and Hunter Wilson, as O’Neill smacked a pair of doubles in the victory.
DeJesus was one of three ‘Jacks to record a pair of RBIs on the night, joined by McMullen and Matthew Dickey. Conner Fikes and Wilson accounted for the other two SFA runs batted in.
SFA and New Mexico, who was receiving votes in this week’s top-25 poll, battled back and forth for three scoreless innings until the Lobos registered three runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking the 3-0 lead. But the Lumberjacks responded in the top of the fifth as Dickey ripped an opposite field double, scoring Anthony Soriano and Wilson and cutting the deficit to 3-2. Fikes then grounded out to short, but it was enough to bring Dickey home from third, tying the game at 3-3.
New Mexico reclaimed the lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth, only to see SFA rally in the top of the sixth as McMullen pulled a double past third, scoring O’Neill as the ‘Jacks pulled even at 4-4.
Once again, the Lobos pulled in front at 5-4 in the seventh, sending an single through the infield to plate a run.
But that set up the key eighth inning for the Lumberjacks as SFA scored four runs on five hits to break the game open. A single up the middle from McMullen scored O’Neill from second, followed by a successful bunt from Wilson to plate McMullen from third as SFA claimed its first lead of the game at 6-5. Two batters later, DeJesus ripped a single to center, scoring both Wilson and Boxwell and giving the Lumberjacks the 8-5 lead after seven and a half.
The Lumberjacks pitched out of a jam in the eighth, getting runners at second and third, but Chris Hassold ended the threat with a key strikeout. After going down in order in the top of the ninth, Tyler Wiedenfeld earned his fourth save of the season by forcing a double play ball after a leadoff walk, then a lineout to right to end the game.
Starter Jarred Greene lasted four innings, allowing four runs on seven hints for SFA. Ledet pitched the fifth through seventh innings with Josh Keith and Chris Hassold teaming up to work around the Lobo threat in the eighth, setting up Wiedenfeld to finish it off.
The Lumberjacks improve 3-2 all-time against the Lobos and are 3-0 all-time against New Mexico in Albuquerque, sweeping a similar two-game series in 2012.
SFA now looks to earn the sweep of the quick two-game series tomorrow as first pitch against UNM is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Lobo Field. Patrick Day will get the start for the Lumberjacks.
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Central Arkansas 12, Wichita State 1
WICHITA, Kan. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and pounded the Wichita State Shockers 12-1 in non-conference action Tuesday at Eck Stadium.
The Bears (8-3) scored four times in the second inning, added a single run in the fourth, then exploded for five more in the sixth to put the game away. UCA out-hit WSU 12-6, with junior shortstop Logan Preston going 3 for 3. Matt Anderson, Tyler Langley and Wesley Hoover all had two hits each, with Langley hitting his first home run of the season.
Sophomore righthander Riley Echols (1-0) shut the Shockers down from the start, holding them to just three hits and striking out four. Echols, in his first start and only second appearance of the season, went 7.1 innings, allowing one run on three singles and striking out four.
The second inning started with consecutive singles by Joey Pinney and Anderson. A wild pitch by WSU freshman starter Tyler Jones allowed Pinney to score. Preston’s sacrifice fly scored Anderson and Hoover followed with a base hit to center field. Langley reached on a throwing error before Braxton Phillips tripled to the gap in right-center to make it 4-0.
In the fourth, Preston doubled, went to second on Hoover’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Langley’s sacrifice fly for a 5-0 advantage. The Bears got an RBI double from Hoover and a three-run home run from Langley in the sixth. Ferrell added the final run of the frame with a single to center.
The Shockers (4-10) got their first run in the eighth on three consecutive singles. UCA scratched out two more runs in the ninth inning on Brad Dillenberger’s ground out that brought in Chuck Deckard and Phillips’ base-loaded walk. Junior righthander Derek Beier pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and struck out the final two batters to end the game.
UCA returns to Southland Conference action this weekend at home, hosting the Lamar Cardinals. Game times are 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Bear Stadium.
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UT Arlington 3, Abilene Christian 1
ABILENE, Texas - A pair of two-out, run-scoring doubles off the bats of Travis Sibley and Christian Hollie in the second and fourth innings was all the UT Arlington pitching staff needed to defeat Abilene Christian on a cool Tuesday night at Crutcher Scott Field, 3-1.
The win evened the Mavs' season record at 6-6, while the Wildcats, who were three-hit tonight by four pitchers, fell to 1-10 on the spring.
ACU starter
Austin Lambright recorded two quick outs in the second before Brady Cox reached on an infield single to third base, in which
Brayden Gomez had trouble getting the ball out of his mitt. That minor miscue was followed by a walk and then Sibley ripped a double that tightroped the left-field line.
Lambright again was hurt by a two-out walk in the fourth as Hollie - who struck out against Lambright two times earlier - drilled a two-bagger into the right-center gap that made it a 3-0 game.
That's all the Mavs would score the rest of the night as the ACU bullpen of
Landon Holifield,
Ladgie Zotyka and
Nick Palacios combined to toss 4.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
The Wildcats broke UTA's bid for a shutout in the sixth when catcher
Alex Copeland singled to right to score
Heath Beasley from second base. That run was charged to UTA starter Kyle Laberge, who went on to earn the victory behind seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.
Laberge was followed to the mound by relievers Daniel James, Zach Hobbs and Colin Tornberg. James got the Mavericks out of the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh. Hobbs tossed a 1-2-3 eighth, and Tornberg earned his fourth save after getting two fly balls and a ground out with a runner at first base.
The Wildcats and Mavs conclude their two-game season series Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. in Arlington. The game will be broadcast in Abilene on 98.1 FM-The Ticket with
Grant Boone providing the play-by-play.
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Texas 7, UIW 1
AUSTIN, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team dropped a mid-week, non-conference game against No. 16 Texas, 7-1 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday.
The Longhorns (11-6) did not waste any time to open the scoring. They scored five runs in the first three innings and later added two runs in the seventh. Bret Boswell fueled the Texas offense with a pair of doubles bringing in two runs. He also scored two runs on the night. Ben Johnson, Tres Barrera and Michel Cantu all collected two hits apiece. The two runs in the bottom of the seventh came off back-to-back homeruns from Barrera and Brooks Marlow.
The Cardinals (7-10) struggled against a Texas pitching staff that used six pitchers on the night.
Mark Whitehead got UIW's first hit in the top of the third with a hard-hit groundball through the left side of the infield. The next Cardinal hit did not come until the top of the ninth when
Ethan McGill led the inning with a double over the right fielder. McGill later scored the only run for the Cardinals on an RBI single from
Colton Besett.
The Longhorn pitching staff combined to allow only three hits and two walks while striking out seven. Tyler Schimpf took the win for the Longhorns with 2.2 innings of work allowing no hits, no runs, no walks and one strikeout.
The Cardinal bullpen slowed the Longhorn offense with five innings of two-run baseball.
John Shull pitched three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out one.
Tyler Miller threw a scoreless eighth inning for UIW.
The Cardinals totaled one run on three hits and one error, while the Longhorns finished the night with seven runs, 11 hits and no errors.
The Cardinals are on the road this weekend where they will take on McNeese State in a Southland Conference matchup. The three-game series starts Friday at 6:00 p.m. followed by games on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
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Houston 17, Sam Houston State 7
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Sam Houston State was in great shape going into the eighth inning, leading No. 21 Houston 7-3, Tuesday night at Don Sanders Stadium before the Cougars rattled off 11 runs in the eighth and beat the Bearkats 14-7.
Dylan Ebbs started and tossed four innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Ryan Brinley tossed three scoreless innings in relief before running out of gas in the eighth.
Sam Houston exploded with a big six-run bottom of the second inning. Ebbs walked to start the frame and first baseman Spence Rahm followed with a single to right field. Catcher Collin Yelich got the Bearkats on the board with a single to plate Ebbs.
Third baseman Jake MacWilliam then ripped a double down the left-field line to score Rahm.
The Bearkats put the ball on the ground and forced Houston to make plays defensively. Yelich beat a throw at the plate on a fielder’s choice ground ball by shortstop Miles Manning. MacWilliam scored on a sacrifice bunt by center fielder Colt Atwood. The Cougar pitcher threw the ball away allowing Atwood to not only reach but move to second base.
Second baseman Zach Smith drove in another run with a ground out to second base. The final run of the inning came home on an error at shortstop.
SHSU added an insurance run in the seventh inning. Lee legged out an infield single with two outs and stole second base. He came around to score on a single to right-center by substitute Bryce Johnson.
Houston loaded the bases with no outs to start the eighth inning. Alex Bisacca came out of the bullpen and allowed two singles that scored three Cougar runs.
Seth Holbert was called upon next and he issued a walk to load the bases. The next batter reached on the second catcher’s interference call of the game. From there it got ugly. The Cougars followed with six hits and four walks.
This weekend Sam Houston will hit the road for a three-game series at Northwestern State. The Demons took two-of-three from the Bearkats last season in Huntsville.
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UTSA 3, Houston Baptist 0
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Five UTSA pitchers combined for a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory over Houston Baptist in non-conference baseball Tuesday night at Roadrunner Field.
Senior centerfielder Zach Nehrir went 2-for-4 for the Huskies (7-9).
Junior righthander Brody Toal (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in two innings. The Huskies’ bullpen was outstanding, as senior righthander Ross Kennell tossed three shutout innings, junior lefthander Weston Wick threw 1.1 and junior righty Matt Harding threw the final 1.2.
Kevin Markham and Trent Bowles each went 2-for-4 for the Roadrunners (9-7). Logan Kinder tripled and drove in a run, while Skyler Valentine also had an RBI.
Boone Mokry (1-0) earned the win for UTSA, allowing two hits and striking out three in five innings. Cody Brannon tossed two innings, Andre Shrewcraft one, Nolan Savage walked the only batter he faced, and Patrick Herbilin got the final three outs, striking out two, for his second save of the year.
UTSA scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the second when Geonte Jackson was hit by a pitch to lead off and Matt Hilston followed with a double. Jackson scored on a passed ball, then Valentine’s sacrifice fly plated a run. Kinder then slapped a fly ball down the leftfield line, out of the reach of a diving Brandon Morones, and ended up with an RBI triple to put the Roadrunners ahead, 3-0.
HBU did not threaten until the ninth, when junior outfielder Josh Leonhardt led off with a walk, then Nehrir reached on an error, but the Huskies were unable to capitalize.
The Huskies begin a seven-game homestand with a four-game series against Iowa Saturday through Tuesday at Husky Field. Saturday, Monday and Tuesday’s games begin at 1 p.m., while Sunday’s game starts at 2 p.m.
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