Baseball: March 29 Scoreboard
Stephen F. Austin 11, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 10
Abilene Christian 5, Lamar 4
Northwestern State 5, McNeese State 4
Central Arkansas 6, Sam Houston State 4
Houston Baptist 12, UIW 1
Nicholls 4, Southeastern Louisiana 0
New Orleans 5, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4 (10)
Stephen F. Austin 11, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 10
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – After giving up eight first inning runs, Stephen F. Austin showed its fight, rallying from a seven-run deficit to outlast Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 11-10 at Chapman Field Sunday afternoon. The win gives the Lumberjacks their first Southland Conference series win of the 2015 season, improving to 9-19 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
After coming up one run short in its rally bid Saturday afternoon, SFA looked to strike early against A&M-Corpus Christi in the rubber match of its three-game series. Leadoff batter Matthew Dickey ripped a double down the left field line, then scored two batters later when Kyle Thornell singled to right field, giving the 'Jacks the early 1-0 lead.
However hopes of a series victory quickly derailed in the bottom of the first as the Lumberjacks allowed eight Islander runs on seven hits with an error as starter Jarred Greene left the game without recording an out. A&M-CC used back-to-back triples to open up the inning and had brought six runs across the plate before SFA was able to record an out, building a commanding 8-1 lead after one inning of play.
But with eight innings remaining, SFA began to chip away at the deficit, beginning with a four-run second inning. Conner Fikes belted his first homerun of the year, a solo shot to right field. Hunter Wilson then brought two runners home after an Islander fielding error with Nick Ramos adding an RBI off a ground out as the Lumberjacks pulled to within three at 8-5.
A&M-CC added another run in the bottom of the second, extending its lead to four at 9-5. But SFA kept chipping away behind a Tyler Boxwell RBI single and a Dickey RBI ground out, pulling to within two at 9-7 after the top of the third.
The Islanders early seven-run cushion was then completely eliminated in the top of the fourth as singles by Dan O'Neill and Fikes evened up the score at 9-9. It would remain that way until the top of the eighth when SFA completed the rally by reclaiming the lead thanks to a two-RBI double by Garrett McMullen, bringing home Thornell and Ramos to give the 'Jacks the 11-9 advantage.
But as was the story of the series, A&M-Corpus Christi made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Thrsee-straight hits to open the inning cut the SFA lead to 11-10, giving the Islanders two on with no outs. A 3-5-4 double play turned into a key play in the game, notching the first two outs of the ninth for the Islanders. A wild pitch advanced the tying run to third base, but a fly out to left field ended the rally attempt, securing the victory for SFA.
Thornell continued his hot play in the Coastal Bend, finishing 3-for-3 on the game to close out the series at 9-for-11, an impressive .818 batting average with three RBIs and six runs scored. Fikes also notched three hits on the day, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Dickey and O'Neill both went 2-for-5 for the 'Jacks with a pair of runs scored and an RBI as well.
After allowing nine runs on nine hits over the first two innings, the SFA pitching corps proved to be dominant over the final seven innings with four combined pitchers allowing just one run on four hits. Patrick Ledet was credited with the win for the Lumberjacks, improving to 2-0 on the year, while Tyler Wiedenfeld notched the save, his sixth of the season.
The series win over the Islanders marks the Lumberjacks' first SLC series victory since taking two out of three from Houston Baptist in the final conference series of 2014. SFA also improved to 19-15 all-time against A&M-Corpus Christi, including a 13-7 mark at Chapman Field.
SFA now heads to Little Rock, Arkansas, for a Tuesday game against Arkansas-Little Rock at 6:30 p.m. That game then leads into a six-game Southland Conference home stand, beginning with a three-game set against rival Sam Houston State April 2-4 at Jaycees Field.
– Return to top –
Abilene Christian 5, Lamar 4
BEAUMONT, Texas – A flu-stricken Abilene Christian baseball team used the backend of its bullpen for all nine innings Sunday to lead the Wildcats to a 5-4 win over Lamar in a non-conference game at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
The win pushes the Wildcats to 6-18 overall, while Lamar falls to 13-14. ACU will be back in action Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. when it takes on nationally ranked Dallas Baptist in a non-conference game that will be broadcast on 98.1 FM The Ticket.
The Wildcats were set to send senior right-hander Thomas Altimont – the reigning Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week – the mound, but he got sick about 10 minutes and head coach Britt Bonneau went to closer Kevin Sheets as Sunday’s starter.
Sheets went four innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs, but was pulled because he also got sick. Bonneau then went to Ladgie Zotyka – who normally gets the seventh and / or eighth innings – and he went three innings, allowing just one hit and two runs (one unearned) while walking two and striking out three batters.
That led to Nick Palacios throwing the final two innings of the game, and he gave up just three hits and no runs. Those three pitchers normally finish up games for the Wildcats, but were pressed into duty because of the run of illness on the team.
With the game tied 4-4 in the seventh, Tyler Eager led off the top half of the inning with a single to center field and went to second when Russell Crippen was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Copeland, and Eager came home on an RBI single to left field by Marcelle Carter.
Lamar went down in order in the bottom of the seventh against Zotyka – who picked up the win – and got runners on the corners with two outs in the eighth before Palacios forced a groundout to end the inning. In the ninth, Palacios worked around a leadoff single to close out the win and earn his first save of the season.
ACU pounded out 13 hits against four Lamar pitchers, led by shortstop Kyle Carroll, who was 3-for-5 with one run scored. Eager continued his hot start with two hits, three runs scored and one RBI. Carter had a big afternoon, finishing 2-for-5 with three RBI.
– Return to top –
Northwestern State 5, McNeese State 4
NATCHITOCHES, La. – Newcomers or veterans, the heroes came in pairs for Northwestern State on Sunday.
After seniors Hunter Duvic and Brandon Smith combined for 6 1-3 innings of scoreless relief, freshman David Fry delivered a walkoff RBI single in the 12
th inning, lifting the Demons to a series-clinching 5-4 victory against McNeese State at Brown-Stroud Field.
Fry’s two-out single through the left side came after Duvic (4 innings) and Smith (2 1-3 innings) kept the Cowboys (17-11, 7-5) at bay after McNeese took a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning.
A day after the Demons bullpen couldn’t hold a win for Northwestern State (16-11, 8-3), Duvic and Smith provided key out after key out.
The Demons posted a three-run first inning for the second time in the series and held the lead until McNeese took the lead on a sixth-inning passed ball.
An inning later, it was Fry’s fellow freshman, Cade Jones, who provided the equalizer, singing home the tying run with two outs in the sixth.
All five of the Demons’ runs Sunday came with two outs, helping Northwestern State win its third Southland Conference series of the season. NSU is 3-0-1 in conference series.
Fry’s single, which followed earlier singles by Cort Brinson and C.J. Webster, helped the Demons solve Kober (1-1), who had worked 2 2-3 innings to earn the save Saturday.
Fry’s single came on Kober’s 54th pitch of the day and 88th in the last two days. It also made a winner of Smith (1-1), who had earned the save in Friday’s 6-4 victory.
The Demons return to action Thursday when they travel to Hammond to face Southeastern Louisiana to start a three-game series against the Lions. The Demons are a half-game behind the Lions for first place in the Southland Conference.
– Return to top –
Central Arkansas 6, Sam Houston State 4
CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears stranded two Sam Houston State runners on base in the bottom of the ninth to preserve a 6-4 victory and a 2-1 series win in Southland Conference action on Sunday at Bear Stadium.
Junior Bo Stitch of Conway came on in relief with two outs in the ninth after SHSU had scored two runs to cut the deficit in half. A weak grounder to first baseman Matt Anderson on a 3-2 count ended the game and allowed the Bears to win their third conference series out of four this season.
The Bears (14-8, 8-4) led the entire game, scoring singles runs in the first and second innings, adding three more in the fifth and a solo run in the sixth for a 6-1 lead. The Bearkats (14-16, 7-5), the preseason favorites in the SLC, got a run in the fourth, another in the eighth and their final two in the ninth.
Senior designated hitter Nate Ferrell had an RBI triple off the top of the fence in right field to score Wesley Hoover in the first inning. In the second, third baseman Hayden Steele walked, moved to second on a balk, to third on a wild pitch and scored on another for a 2-0 lead.
Catcher Travis Hull hit a one-out double in the fifth inning and scored on an error to start a three-run frame for the Bears. Right fielder Braxton Phillips then dropped a fly ball just inside the right-field line between three players that turned into a two-run double to make it 5-1. UCA's final run came on Wesley Hoover's single up the middle and Logan Preston's RBI base hit to left field.
SHSU got one run in the eighth on a lead-off home run but an outstanding play by Anderson at first saved another. With a runner on first, Anderson dove for a hard shot headed to the right-field corner, caught it and landed on first base for the double play.
UCA starter Riley Echols struck out 4 and allowed just 2 hits and 1 run in 4 2/3 innings. Andrew Kemmerer earned the victory in relief, with Stitch picking up his second save.
Hoover finished 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, while Phillips was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI. SHSU out-hit UCA, with Miles Manning, Spence Rahm, Dylan Ebbs and Hayden Simerly getting two hits each.
UCA travels to Norman, Okla., for a 6 p.m. non-conference game against the Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday. The Bears play a non-conference series at Southern Illinois in Carbondale beginning on Thursday night.
– Return to top –
Houston Baptist 12, UIW 1
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Houston Baptist exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth inning, then junior shortstop Louie Payetta’s three-run home run in the seventh allowed the Huskies to run-rule Incarnate Word, 12-1 in seven innings, in the Southland Conference baseball series finale Sunday afternoon at Sullivan Field.
Seven of the Huskies’ starters recorded multiple hits, as they tied their season high with 17 hits. Payetta was 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and a pair of runs, while senior rightfielder Thomas Clay was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Senior centerfielder Zach Nehrir went 3-for-5, recorded his league-leading fourth triple, and scored twice, while junior first baseman Andrew Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and a run. Senior pitcher Curtis Jones had two hits, including a double, senior catcher Samm Wiggins singled twice and junior second baseman Greg Espinosa had two singles and two RBIs.
Jones (2-3) earned the win for the Huskies (15-12, 6-3 SLC), allowing one run on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings.
Braden Martin went 2-for-4 with a double and a run for the Cardinals (10-16, 2-7), while Tanner Wall went 2-for-3.
Brandon Anderson (1-3) took the loss for UIW, giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits in four and one-third innings. The Cardinals used seven pitchers total in the game.
The Huskies got on the board first with a run in the third. Clay led off the inning with a single to center. He then stole second, but the throw hit the bag, caromed into leftfield, allowing Clay to come all the way around to score. HBU tacked on another in the fourth when Alvarez doubled and Espinosa drove him in with single.
In the fifth, Nehrir tripled to the gap in rightcenter and Payetta followed with an RBI single. Jones doubled down the rightfield line to drive in Payetta, then scored on Wiggins’ RBI single. Espinosa added an RBI single, then Clay’s two run single made the score, 8-0.
The Cardinals scored their run in the bottom of the inning when Martin led off with a double and Jesse Hoover drove him in with a single to right.
Jones was hit by a pitch with one out in the fifth and later scored on a single to center by Morones.
Clay and Nehrir led off the seventh with back-to-back singles, then Payetta unloaded a three-run shot to right to put the Huskies ahead, 12-1.
HBU returns to action when it hosts Abilene Christian in a three-game Southland Conference series Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Husky Field.
– Return to top –
Nicholls 4, Southeastern Louisiana 0
THIBODAUX, La. – After two tough outings against Southeastern Louisiana’s conference-leading offense on Friday and Saturday, the Nicholls State University baseball team turned the tables on Sunday, taking a 4-0 victory over the Lions in the series-finale at Ray E. Didier Field.
The Colonels (14-12-1, 5-7 SLC) got off to a rocky start as leadoff batter Jacob Seward reached on an error and Jacob Williams was subsequently hit by a pitch in the first two at bats for SLU (22-8, 9-2 SLC). Nicholls settled in, turning a double play before Justin Sinibaldi earned a strikeout to escape the inning unscathed.
In the bottom of the frame, Justin Holt notched a single to center field, stole second and came home on a Kyle Reese single to right center.
Southeastern La. threatened again in the top of the second when Webb Bobo singled to shortstop with only one out. In the next at bat, Brett Hoffman singled to left center. Bobo attempted to take an extra base on Hoffman’s hit, sprinting for third, but was gunned down by leftfielder Darius Knight. Alertly, the third baseman, Reese, flipped the ball to Tanner Vandevere on second as Hoffman tried to advance on Knight’s throw and the squad completed the unconventional 7-5-4 double play to end the inning.
Sinibaldi was dominant in the third, striking out the first two batters he faced. The next batter, Seward, singled through the middle, but Sinibaldi picked him off at first to end the frame.
The Colonels added a pair of runs in the seventh. Joey Morales led off and reached first on a wild pitch. Reese blasted a monster double down the leftfield line to send Morales home. Alex Tucker pinch-hit and registered a single to shortstop, advancing Reese to third, before Vandevere singled to shallow right field, scoring Reese and giving Nicholls a 3-1 advantage.
The Dirty Red took advantage of a pair of Lion miscues in the eighth to add a pair of insurance runs. Morales reached on an error before stealing second. On the next at bat, Holt singled and advanced on a throwing error that sent Morales home.
Southeastern La. provided a scare in the ninth when Kevin Carr singled to right field and Ryan Byers walked, but Bobo hit into a fielder’s choice in the subsequent at bat and Morales tagged the bag at second, pumping his first in and jumping back-to-back with Vandevere in celebration.
In a stunning role-reversal, Nicholls registered 11 hits, compared to just five for the top-ranked offensive team in the league.
Sinibaldi (5-1) was dominant on the mound for the Colonels, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing only five hits and striking out six Lions.
Kyle Cedotal (3-2) took the loss, surrendering two runs on seven hits while fanning six Nicholls batters through 6 2/3 innings of work. In relief, Mac Sceroler gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits with a strikeout.
Holt led the Colonels offensively with a 4-for-4 outing and a run scored. Reese finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
Five Southeastern La. batters registered a hit on the afternoon, but none turned in a multi-hit outing.
– Return to top –
New Orleans 5, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4 (10)
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Hezekiah Randolph came up with a clutch single and Parker Jones supplied a walk-off single to help the New Orleans Privateers baseball team (10-17, 2-7 Southland) to a 5-4 win in 10 innings over the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (11-12, 6-3 SWAC) on Sunday at Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark.
With the score tied in the 10th inning, Jonathan Coco led off the frame with a single off of Kevin Walsh. A sacrifice bunt moved Coco to second and he was then replaced by a pinch runner in the form of Dane Landry.
With two outs, back-to-back walks (one intentional) set up Jones who ripped a single back up the middle to give the Privateers their first extra innings win of the season. “They hung in there and that was a big hit by Parker and I’m happy for him. We hit the ball the other way and good things happen when you do that. It was a good win,” said Coach Ron Maestri.
The Privateers tied the game in the eighth inning on a clutch two-run single by Randolph. After back-to-back singles to start the frame, Randolph came up and singled to center to drive in both runs. Randolph was called out later in the inning on a play at the plate.
Kevin Kelleher came in and threw the final three innings on the mound. Kelleher had to escape a jam in the ninth after loading the bases with one out on two walks and a single. Kelleher came back to strike out Roberto Colon and induced a fly out to center off the bat of Rashawn Tillman to keep the score tied.
Daniel Martinez started the game and did not allow a hit until the fifth inning. Martinez had his longest outing, giving up just one hit in 5.2 innings while tying a season-high with five strikeouts. “Today, Daniel went as far as he’s gone. He had good control and we’ve got to get that from him. He had a heck of a game,” said Maestri.
Coco and Preston Marsh each delivered three hits on the day. Ryan Calloway was 2-for-4 with a run and a walk. Jones drove in two runs, the first coming on an RBI sac fly in the fourth. Randolph was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run, and two walks.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff was led offensively by Andre Davis who homered in the sixth. Davis also pitched 1.1 innings and was charged with both runs in the eighth that tied the game. Vladimir Gomez went 2-for-4 and Colon scored two runs.
The Privateers will finish the 12-game home stand against Loyola on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
– Return to top –