Box Score MIAMI, Fla. ? The UALR Trojans baseball team (4-12, 1-3) ended their three-game series with Florida International (8-11, 3-3) on a high note, defeating the Panthers 18-6. The key for the Trojans was the fourth and fifth innings, where they banged out 15 of their 26 hits and scored 12 runs.
After a scoreless one and one-third innings, Florida International jumped on the board with a run in the bottom of the second. John Petika doubled to right field and was followed by Raimy Fuentes' single to center field. Lamarr Guy reached on a fielder's choice that scored Petika from third. Trojan starter Levi Laughlin was able to get around more trouble to get out of the inning.
UALR struck back in the top of the third. After a walk to Eric Hanlon, Kody Kroll doubled to right center. Matt Apfel flew out to right field, but it was deep enough to score Hanlon from third, tying up the score at one apiece.
FIU answered in the bottom of the third. Corey Lozano got hit to start the inning and advanced to third on back-to-back ground outs. He later scored on a wild pitch by Laughlin that put the Panthers up 2-1.
The Trojan offense exploded in the top of the fourth. Robert Taylor started the inning with a single through the right side of the infield. After a strikeout by Jared Powell, Brad Swiderski stroked a two-run home run to left field, scoring Hanlon.
After a Nick DeSanctis ground out, the Trojans kept the inning going. Zach Rowles doubled down the left field line. He was brought in with a Hanlon single to center field. Kroll continued his good outing at the plate with a single up the middle that scored Hanlon. Apfel followed that up with a single of his own. Greg McCarthy singled to center field, scoring Kroll.
The Trojan bats continued their barrage in the top of the fifth. The Trojans started out the inning with seven consecutive hits before they got their first out. The biggest hit of them all came from Apfel who cleared the bases with a grand slam home run, putting the Trojans ahead 13-2.
FIU attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. The Panthers got four runs off of four hits in the inning. Clay Rominger was brought in the pitch and struck out the final two batters of the inning to keep UALR ahead 14-6.
The Trojans added four more runs in the top half of the ninth inning.
Laughlin went six innings for the Trojans, allowing 11 hits and giving up five of the Panthers' six runs. Rominger went the final two and two-thirds innings for the Trojans in relief.
Apfel ended the day going 3-for-5 at the plate with five RBIs, four of those coming on the grand slam in the fifth. Swiderski went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Overall, the Trojans exploded for 26 hits, the most this season.
The Trojans return to action on Wednesday March 19 as they travel to Oxford, Miss. for a one-game series with Ole Miss. First pitch is scheduled 6:30 p.m.
