Baseball: April 10 Scoreboard
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 5, Abilene Christian 4
Northwestern State 5, New Orleans 4
Northwestern State 5, New Orleans 3
Sam Houston State 9, UIW 2
Sam Houston State 7, UIW 2
Houston Baptist 13, Stephen F. Austin 3
Houston Baptist 7, Stephen F. Austin 2
Central Arkansas 7, Nicholls 0
Southeastern Louisiana 3, Utah 2
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 5, Abilene Christian 4
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Kyle Danford played hero at as he delivered a walk off single to give the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team a 5-4 victory over Abilene Christian Friday night at Chapman Field. With the win, the Islanders improve to 15-15 and 5-8 in Southland Conference play.
Cody Clarke came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth and delivered one of the biggest hits of the night by the bottom half of the Islanders batting order as he flared a ball to the right field wall for a standup double to lead off the frame. It was the first hit for the junior third baseman in four plate appearances. ACU intentionally walked Jordan Lee before Casey Thomas recorded one of his three sacrifices of the night to move the runners up.
The Wildcats (8-22, 6-7 SLC) loaded the bases after intentionally walking left-hander Tyler Ware to set up the double play. It was the second walk of the night that Ware had earned as he added on to his team-high 25 on the year. That was when Danford came to the plate, hitless in his previous four plate appearances. On a first pitch of the at bat, the senior delivered the game winning run as he sliced a ball through the left side of the infield to give the Islanders their first walk-off win of the year.
Jordan Lee set the tone for the Islanders in the first at bat of the game as he trucked out a triple and scored on the next at bat as Thomas drove a ball deep to left field for the RBI sacrifice fly.
ACU would answer with two runs of their own in the third inning as Aaron Draper picked up a double and Colton Hall sent a ball down the right field line for a triple, scoring Draper. Hall would score later in the inning as a runner reached on a throwing error.
The teams would trade runs in the fifth and the Islanders would take a 4-3. Lee, who was a double away from the cycle delivered the tying run with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at three apiece. It marked the second home run of the year for the senior and the seventh of his career. Ware then drew one of his walks and stole second before Zacarias Hardy showed off his wheels and reeled off a triple, delivering the go-ahead run.
Senior Matt Danton went six complete innings for the Islanders and left with the lead as the team went to its bullpen to close out the Wildcats. The bullpen would do its job until the ninth inning when ACU loaded the bases and scored the tying run. A walk followed by a sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position. Nolan Holland would try to work the inside of the plate and on a 0-2 pitch, clipped Tyler Eager to load the bases. With the bases loaded, pinch hitter Heath Beasley would tie the game on a sacrifice bunt.
The teams will continue action Saturday at 3 p.m. as Trevor Belicek will take the mound for the Islanders. Belicek is second in the nation with 13.51 strikeouts per game and seventh in the country with 68 strikeouts.
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Northwestern State 5, New Orleans 4
Northwestern State 5, New Orleans 3
NATCHITOCHES, La. – Northwestern State accomplished exactly what it wanted to do Friday, although it did so in drastically different ways.
The Demons posted a sweep of New Orleans in Southland Conference action, using a three-run rally to take the opener 5-4 before grinding out a 5-3 win in the nightcap.
Indeed, the Demons (19-15, 11-5) saved their best offense for last in the opener, tagging UNO reliever Kevin Kelleher (1-5) with a two-out rally to snap a four-game losing skid.
Nick Heath was the walkoff hero, slicing a two-run single into the left-center gap to complete the rally that saw contributions from Demons both young and old.
The Demons were twice down to their last strike before freshman Cade Jones coaxed a two-out walk off Kelleher to load the bases. Facing a 1-2 count, Dugas delivered an RBI single to cut the UNO lead to one, setting up Heath’s walkoff hit.
Prior to the ninth, the Privateers (11-23, 2-12) were in control, stinging Demons ace Adam Oller with a three-run, two-out rally in the first inning and adding to it on a Chaz Boyer leadoff home run in the second.
Oller, however, persevered, shaking off a 30-pitch first inning to work eight innings and string together zeroes after the second.
The Demons’ rally made a winner out of Hunter Duvic (1-0), whose scoreless ninth inning delivered his first career victory.
In the nightcap, Oller’s older brother, Josh, operated with his normal M.O. of working in and out of trouble.
Josh Oller (6-1) equaled Adam Oller’s effort, working eight innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and scattering 10 hits.
The Demons used the momentum from the walkoff win in the opener to strike first, giving Josh Oller a 1-0 lead in the first and a 3-1 lead after three innings.
UNO tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before Chase Daughdrill (6-for-10, 2 RBIs in the sweep) delivered the Demons’ final go-ahead RBI, a fifth-inning double to the left-center field gap to score Cort Brinson, who extended his hitting streak to a career-long 16 games with a single.
Earlier in the day, Brinson’s one-out single in the ninth inning of the opener sparked NSU’s game-winning rally and kept his streak alive.
Josh Oller allowed a base runner in all eight innings, but he kept the Privateers off the board in his final three innings of work before turning things over to Brandon Smith, who worked a perfect ninth to record his sixth save of the season.
The teams will conclude the series with a 2 p.m. single game on Saturday. NSU will throw right-hander Jeffrey Stovall (3-3, 4.60) against UNO right-hander Daniel Martinez (0-2, 6.20). The game can be heard on KZBL 100.7 or at NSUDemons.com. Patrick Netherton will deliver the play-by-play call of the game.
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Sam Houston State 9, UIW 2
Sam Houston State 7, UIW 2
HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Sam Houston swept a Southland Conference baseball doubleheader from Incarnate Word by scored of 9-2 and 7-5 Friday at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
The victories up the Bearkats’ record to 18-19 for the year and 10-7 in league play. The Cardinals fall to 11-22 on the season and 2-12 in Southland action.
Sam Houston banged out 13 hits in the opening game. After waiting three hours to start the game due to a rain storm just before the scheduled 1 p.m. start, second baseman Zach Smith got the Kats off to a quick start in the opening contest with a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the second inning.
Cardinal second baseman Blake Woosley singled to right field to knot the game 1-1 in the top of the fifth. Left fielder Jesse Hoover scored the unearned run after reaching first base on a two-out error.
A one-out, bases loaded single by left fielder Hayden Simerly broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. Center fielder Colt Atwood singled to score a third run as the Kats took a 4-1 lead.
Catcher Collin Yelich added another run in the bottom of the seventh with a single that scored Smith who reached on an error and advanced to third on a double by third baseman Ryan Brinley.
Sam Houston added four more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on hits by Smith and shortstop Miles Manning. UIW first baseman Ethan McGill accounted for the Cardinals’ second run with a solo homer to right field in the top of the ninth.
Andrew Godail (2-4) picked up the win, spreading four hits over six innings and striking out three Cardinals. Alex Bisacca picked up his first save of the season pitching the final four innings. Geno Encina (1-3) was the loser for UIW.
Sam Houston jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first three innings of the nightcap.
Right fielder Bryce Johnson’s two-out single opened the scoring with a run in the first. Simerly, Atwood and designated hitter Dalton Perry each produced an RBI single in a three-run second inning. In the third, second baseman Jake MacWilliam walked and later scored on an error.
The Cardinals roared back for five runs in the top of the fourth on a pair of two-run doubles by designated hitter Christian Divelbiss and center fielder Mark Whitehead. Shortstop Austin Hoffman added an RBI single to tie the contest.
Catcher Hunter Courson put the SHSU men in the lead with a RBI single in the fifth inning. Atwood added another run in the bottom of the eighth inning as he singled and later scored on a wild pitch.
Starter Logan Boyd (4-3) got the victory after pitching five and two-thirds innings. He struck out eight Cardinal batters. Greg Belton pitched two and a third innings and Ryan Brinley picked up his third save of the year throwing in the final frame. Cody Richey (0-4) got the loss for UIW.
The two teams will meet in the final game of the series Saturday at 11 a.m.
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Houston Baptist 13, Stephen F. Austin 3
Houston Baptist 7, Stephen F. Austin 2
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – HBU erupted for nine runs in the eighth inning to go on to a 13-3 victory in game one, then rode the arm of senior righthander Curtis Jones to a 7-2 win in the nightcap to sweep Stephen F. Austin in a Southland Conference doubleheader Friday at Jaycees Field.
In the first game, junior shortstop Louie Payetta went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, drove in three and scored twice, while Jones, playing third base, went 3-for-6 with and RBI and a pair of runs for the Huskies (18-15, 9-5 SLC). Senior catcher Samm Wiggins was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and scored three times, while junior second baseman Greg Espinosa was 2-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs. Junior leftfielder Brandon Morones added a pair of hits, an RBI and a run.
Senior lefthander Brandon Hammerly (2-2) earned the win for HBU, throwing four innings of shutout relief, allowing two hits and striking out a pair. Starter Matthew McCollough allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings.
Kyle Thornell was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and a run for the Lumberjacks (12-21, 6-9) in the first game.
Josh Keith (1-2) took the loss, giving up five runs on four hits and walking two in two-thirds of an inning of relief as the SFA bullpen allowed 10 runs on 11 hits in the final two innings. Starter Cameron Gann allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.
SFA jumped out to the early lead getting back-to-back double from Nick Ramos and Thornell in the bottom of the first. HBU tied it in the fourth as Payetta doubled down the rightfield line, but was thrown out at third on a grounder by Jones. Wiggins followed with a single and Jones scored when the throw back to the infield got away.
The Lumberjacks quickly regained the lead when Thornell led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run to right and added another in the fifth when Tyler Boxwell led off with a single and scored on a single by Hunter Wilson to take a 3-1 advantage.
Payetta walked to lead off the fifth and Wiggins doubled down the leftfield line. Espinosa delivered a two-out double down the rightfield line to tie the game, 3-3.
Jones singled to lead off the eighth, Wiggins walked and pinch hitter Clayton Vaughn reached on a bunt single to load the bases. The Huskies scored on two-straight squeeze plays, then a wild pitch. Senior centerfielder Zach Nehrir singled in a run, then Payetta unloaded a three-run shot to right to put the Huskies ahead 10-3. Jones singled again, then Wiggins doubled, before Espinosa drilled another two-run double to left to cap a nine-run rally for HBU. The Huskies tacked on another in the ninth as Carey Jones scored on his brother Curtis’s infield single to make the score 13-3.
In the second game, Payetta went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Jones went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Wiggins was 2-for-4 with a double and a run, Espinosa was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and junior first baseman Andrew Alvarez was 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, an RBI and a run.
Jones (3-4) earned the win, allowing two runs on nine hits, while striking out four with no walks in seven and two-thirds innings. Junior Dylan Zarosky finished off the final inning and a third, striking out a pair.
Conner Fikes was 2-for-4 with a run, while Boxwell and Eric DeJesus drove in the Lumberjacks’ runs.
Dillon Mangam (2-6) took the loss for SFA, giving up five runs on 12 hits with four strikeouts and three walks in seven innings.
The Huskies took the early lead as Payetta and Jones had back-to-back singles, then Wiggins walked to load the bases. Espinosa beat out a potential double play, allowing Payetta to score.
HBU added three more in the second, as Alvarez led off with a solo home run to center, his first as a Husky. Senior rightfielder Thomas Clay tripled down the rightfield line and scored on a single by Nehrir. After Nehrir stole second, Jones drove him in with a single to right to make the score 4-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, SFA got four-straight two-out singles from Garrett McMullen, Fikes, Boxwell and DeJesus to cut HBU’s lead to 4-2.
Wiggins led off the fifth with a double to left, then Espinosa came through with an RBI single as the Huskies got one of the runs back.
In the eighth, junior third baseman Justin Monsour led off with a single, Clay moved him up with a sacrifice bunt, Nehrir drove in a run with a single. Nehrir later scored on a wild pitch for the final tally in a 7-2 victory.
The series concludes with a 2 p.m. first pitch Saturday. The audio broadcast is available on HBUHuskies.com presented by the Legacy Sports Network, beginning with the pregame show at 1:45 p.m.
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Central Arkansas 7, Nicholls 0
CONWAY, Ark. _ A third consecutive complete game by junior right-hander Connor Gilmore carried the University of Central Arkansas Bears to a 7-0 shutout of the Nicholls Colonels in Southland Conference action on Friday night at Bear Stadium.
Gilmore tossed a four-hitter against the Colonels, striking out four and walking just one to improve to 5-2 on the season and drop his earned-run average to 2.12. The Bears pounded out 13 total hits and chased Nicholls starter Ryan Deemes after 5 1/3 innings, putting up 11 hits and five runs against the Colonels’ ace, who entered the game with a 4-0 record and an 0.99 ERA.
The second-place Bears (18-10, 9-4) scored the only runs they would need in the first inning, getting an RBI single from second baseman Chris Townsend and a sacrifice fly from designated hitter Joey Pinney. With Gilmore cruising along, the Bears plated two more runs in the fifth inning, wiht the help of a wild pitch and a passed ball. Matt Anderson singled and eventually scored on the wild pitch and Pinney’s double down the right-field line for the 4-0 lead.
UCA got one more in the sixth on Tyler Langley’s RBI double to the gap in right center. Two more came across in the seventh as catcher Travis Hull hit a ground ball to second base that brought in both Anderson and Logan Preston.
Hull finished 3 for 4 with 2 RBI, while Pinney was 1 for 4 with 2 RBI. Langley and Townsend both had two hits and Anderson scored a pair of runs. Nicholls second baseman Tanner Vandevere had two of the Colonel’s four hits. The Colonels (19-14, 8-8) used four pitchers in the game.
Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday.
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Southeastern Louisiana 3, Utah 2
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Southeastern Louisiana scored a run in the top of the ninth Friday to take the series opener, 3-2, from Utah at Smith's Ballpark.
Southeastern (26-9) won for the fourth-straight game as Lion pitchers stranded 11 Utah (10-20) runners on base.
The Lions scored first. Kevin Carr led off the second inning with a double into the right-center field gap. He came home to score on Brett Hoffman's two-out single up the middle.
Utah tied the game in the bottom of the third, but the Lions took the lead back in the fifth.
Jacob Seward singled through the right side with two outs. He then stole both second base and third. Julian Service worked a walk, putting runners on the corners. Daniel Midyett followed with an RBI single to center, plating Seward.
The Utes came right back with a two-out run of their own in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game again. Second baseman Kody Davis doubled to left-center with two outs and scored on center fielder Wyler Smith's single up the middle.
Starting pitcher Tate Scioneaux worked six innings for the Lions, but did not factor in the decision. He allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings of work. He fanned eight and did not walk a batter. Kade Granier (4-1) worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
Catcher Chris Eades, a junior from Slidell, Louisiana, singled to center leading off the ninth. Kyle Cedotal pinch ran for Eades and was sacrificed to second by Carson Crites. With two outs, Service doubled to left to drive in Cedotal with the winning run.
Freshman right-hander Mac Sceroler worked a scoreless ninth, nailing the the victory to earn his fourth save. Granier earned the win in relief. Utah reliever Brock Duke (0-4) was tagged with the loss.
Carr led the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.
Southeastern will send junior right-hander Jake Johnson (6-0, 2.44) to the mound on Saturday at 5 p.m. (Central) against Utah right-hander Dalton Carroll (3-4, 4.12) in game two of the series.
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