Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? Troy (38-14, 17-4 Sun Belt) completed its sweep of UALR (23-28, 4-17) on Sunday afternoon by banging out 15 hits en route to an 11-6 victory at Gary Hogan Field. Troy held a slim 3-2 lead after six innings, but busted out for seven runs in the top of the seventh to take sole possession of first place in the conference standings.
Junior Ryan Gotcher had a banner day in the losing effort, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and four stolen bases. His four steals fell one shy of the school record and increased his team-leading total to 23 thefts (good enough for fifth place on the school's all-time single season list).
UALR starter Rob Harmon (1-6) kept Troy bottled up for the first six innings, but ran into trouble in the seventh after Edgar Ramirez reached base on a fielding error to start the frame. Leading 3-2, Dru Rhymer delivered a run-scoring base knock, which Ian Craze and Tom King followed with a sacrifice fly and a RBI single, respectively.
Junior Scott Yant took the mound in relief of Harmon, but couldn't get past Josh Dew, who ripped a two-run homer to left (his fourth of the series and 14th of the year). Clint Robinson followed with a solo homer (his sixth) to cap off Troy's scoring burst.
Harmon had coasted at the start of the game, carrying a two-hit shutout into the fourth inning. The Villa Hills, Ky.-native ended up with the loss after allowing seven runs over 6.2 innings of work ? only two of which were earned.
UALR took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after senior Jacob Stover plated junior Brian Asbill with a RBI double to left. The Trojans recorded three hits in the first inning off starter JJ Whetsel, but would manage just one more hit over the next seven frames.
Dew took the hill in relief of Whetsel in the fourth inning, and held the Trojans to just one hit before getting roughed up in the eighth. Trailing 11-2, UALR manufactured four runs in the eighth to make it an 11-6 contest. Singles by Asbill and Gotcher set the stage for a two-run double by junior Matt King (his 15th of the year).
A RBI single by junior Brett Lawler and a run-scoring double from sophomore Grant Gatlin rounded out UALR's four-run eighth. But the Trojans were unable to muster any more runs in the ninth, as reliever Jonathan Sabat threw a perfect inning.
Dew (3-1) got the win for Troy by working 5.0 innings in relief, allowing six hits and four runs with five strikeouts.
UALR closes out the regular season next week against Florida International in Miami (May 18-20).
