Baseball: April 18 Scoreboard
Northwestern State 5, Central Arkansas 4
UIW 6, Stephen F. Austin 2
Stephen F. Austin 19, UIW 2
Sam Houston State 6, Abilene Christian 5
Northwestern State 5, Central Arkansas 4
NATCHITOCHES, La. – In his first season, Caleb Dugas built a reputation as someone capable of delivering a clutch hit for the Northwestern State baseball team.
Even in a senior season that has not gone according to Dugas’ plan, he summoned up evidence Saturday that he still has a flair for the dramatic.
For the second time in eight days, Northwestern State put together a three-run, ninth-inning rally – this one capped by Dugas’ two-run, full-count single – to stun a visiting Southland Conference rival, edging Central Arkansas, 5-4, at Brown-Stroud Field.
The Demons (21-17, 13-6) kept their chances at winning the series alive thanks to a drama-filled ninth inning.
Third-year NSU skipper Lane Burroughs was ejected after a disputed call at home plate threatened to derail the rally, which came eight days after a similar three-run, two-out rally lifted NSU to a 5-4 win against New Orleans.
After David Fry’s single cut the UCA (19-13, 10-7) lead to 4-3 and put runners on the corners, Nick Heath chopped a grounder to first base that UCA’s Matt Anderson fielded and threw home.
Chase Daughdrill slid and was ruled to have been tagged out by Travis Hull for the second out, which brought Burroughs in to argue the call. Burroughs was ejected, and the Demons were left with runners on first and second and two outs.
Garrett Logan then drew a five-pitch walk off Echols, who threw just six of his 14 pitches for strikes, before Dugas split the left-center field gap with for the game winner.
The Demons needed some walkoff magic after the Bears broke a 2-all tie with a pair of seventh-inning runs off NSU starter Josh Oller, who scattered 12 hits across 8 1-3 gritty innings.
NSU started quickly, scoring a pair of runs in the first on a C.J. Webster sacrifice fly and a David Fry RBI single before the Bears tied things with a pair of runs in the second.
From there, Oller and the UCA combination of starter Brandon Hagerla and relievers Bo Stitch and Derek Beier (2-1) kept the game tied at 2 through six innings.
Perhaps the biggest relief appearance was from NSU left-hander Chase Hymel (1-2), who inherited runners on second and third with one out in the ninth. After walking the first batter he faced, Hymel got a strikeout and a fly ball to strand the bases loaded and set the stage for the Demons’ ninth-inning rally.
When his time rolled around, Dugas delivered, as he did numerous times during his junior season, setting off a wild celebration at soggy Brown-Stroud Field.
The Demons and Bears will play the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday at Brown-Stroud Field. NSU is expected to start right-hander Jeffrey Stovall (4-3, 4.50) against a to-be-determined Central Arkansas starter.
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UIW 6, Stephen F. Austin 2
Stephen F. Austin 19, UIW 2
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin dropped the opening game of its Saturday doubleheader against Incarnate Word, then responded in a major way with a 19-2 victory over the Cardinals in game two at Sullivan Field.
Following the doubleheader split, SFA is now 13-26 on the year and 7-12 in Southland Conference play. The Lumberjacks snapped a season-long seven-game losing streak with the win in the second game of the doubleheader as the 19 runs were the most for an SFA team since a 22-2 victory against Centenary.
In the opening game of the doubleheader, SFA found its way on the scoreboard first in the top of the fourth as Conner Fikes reached on an error, scoring Hunter Wilson to give the `Jacks the 1-0 lead.
Incarnate Word responded with a pair of runs in the fifth, then added one in the seventh and three in the eighth, racing out to the 6-1 lead. SFA tried to mount a late comeback as back-to-back triples from Fikes and Kyle Thornell scored Fikes, accounting for the final 6-2 score.
SFA notched its pair of runs on six hits, led by a pair from Dan O'Neill and one each from Fikes, Thornell, Matthew Dickey and Eric DeJesus. Starter Cameron Gann picked up the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) on 12 hits through 7.2 innings pitched with four strikeouts.
The Lumberjacks' bats then came alive in game two as SFA recorded 19 runs on 20 hits, recording five-straight innings with at least two runs. The offensive outburst began in the top of the third when SFA recorded three runs, thanks to a sacrifice fly from Fikes, an RBI single from O'Neill and Nick Ramos stealing home.
SFA then plated four more in the fourth as Holden Holsomback, Dickey, Eric DeJesus and Fikes all recorded RBI in the inning. Thornell then blasted a two-run shot in the top of the fifth, his team-best fifth of the year, as the Lumberjacks extended their lead to 9-1 after five.
Three more Lumberjacks crossed the plate in the top of the sixth, including RBI from Ramos and Thornell, then SFA broke the game open in the top of the seventh, scoring six runs on five hits as the Lumberjacks loaded the bases with no outs. Thornell continued his hot play, recording two more RBI, as the `Jacks held an 18-2 lead after seven innings.
Following a scoreless eighth, SFA added one more run in the ninth off an RBI double from Holsomback, giving the Lumberjacks the 19-2 win.
Thornell paced the SFA offense, going 3-for-3 with 5 RBI, finishing with six runs batted in on the day with a pair of runs scored. Holsomback went 3-for-6 from behind the plate with a pair of RBI while Dickey was 3-for-5 with an RBI and four runs scored for SFA. DeJesus, Fikes and O'Neill each recorded a pair of runs scored on the day as well.
Dillon Mangham picked up the win for the Lumberjacks, allowing two Incarnate Word runs on eight hits in seven innings pitched, finishing with five strikeouts. Josh Keith and Will Boozer pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
SFA now looks to carry that offensive momentum into the final game of the three-game set against Incarnate Word, getting underway at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon. RHP Jarred Greene is expected to get the start for the `Jacks who are looking to win their third SLC series in the last four weekends.
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Sam Houston State 6, Abilene Christian 5
ABILENE, Texas – Shortstop Miles Manning and designated hitter Hayden Simerly accounted for three hits apiece to lead Sam Houston to a 6-5 victory over Abilene Christian in the first game of a doubleheader at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene.
The contest was relayed 45 minutes by a rain and hail storm in the ninth inning just after left fielder Bryce Johnson brought in the game-winning run with a single to right field. Sam Houston rallied from a 5-2 deficit to earn the victory.
A double by Simerly scored center fielder Colt Atwood in the first inning after Atwood tripled. Manning doubled to tie the game 2-2 in the second inning. The Wildcats scored three runs in the bottom of the third.
Manning posted another double then scored on a single by Atwood in the fourth inning. The Bearkats tied the contest 5-5 as first baseman Spence Rahm scored on a bases-loaded double play and Manning picked up another RBI with a single.
Alex Bisacca (4-1) was the winning pitcher, facing four batters in final two innings and striking out two. Andrew Godail pitched the first three innings as the Kat starter. Greg Belton and Hayden Nixon also pitched in relief.
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