Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? Arkansas State's Jett Jones went 7.2 innings on Saturday afternoon, holding UALR (21-31, 9-20) to four hits and a run to lead the Indians to a 4-1 win at Gary Hogan Field. The Indians (22-32, 13-17) received three hits a piece from Brandon Eller and Guy Brown to take the deciding game of the Sun Belt Conference series.
Jones left in the eighth with two runners on and two outs, but reliever Nick Lambert was able to escape the jam by striking out the first batter he faced. Tim Egart then worked a scoreless ninth for the Indians to pick up his sixth save of the season. UALR junior Nathan Parker (3-5) was credited with the loss despite striking out a career-high 10 batters, while holding ASU to seven hits and three runs over 6.2 innings of work.
Parker opened the game with four scoreless innings by holding the Indians to two hits over the first four frames. ASU's offense came to life in the fifth, however, after Tyler Doke sparked the club with a leadoff single. With Doke on base and two outs, Parker issued a walk to Jordan Kimball. The free pass proved costly, as Eller followed with a run-scoring single up the middle. Brown came to bat next and delivered a two-run double over the head of center fielder Ryan Gotcher to give ASU a 3-0 lead.
Jones blanked the Trojans over the first five innings, allowing just two base runners during that stretch ? a first inning single and a walk in the third. UALR finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth after junior Nick DeSanctis got things going with a leadoff single down the left field line. Senior Brian Smiley followed with a double to left, scoring DeSanctis from first, to make it a 3-1 contest.
UALR threatened in the bottom of the eighth, putting two runners on with two outs as pinch-hitter Brad Swiderski ripped a double to left and senior Brian Asbill was hit by a pitch. Lambert came on in relief for Jones at that point, and fanned the first batter he faced to preserve the 3-1 lead.
The Indians tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth, capitalizing on a passed ball and a throwing error to take a 4-1 lead. Egart sealed the win by striking out two Trojans in the bottom of the ninth.
UALR's pitching staff racked up 14 strikeouts in the loss, with 10 from Parker, three from freshman Gavin Gray (who struck out the side in the eighth) and one from junior Steve Gilgenbach.
Eller went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI for ASU, while Brown chipped in two RBI off a 3-for-4 day at the plate.
