Box Score
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? After a four and a half hour rain
delay at the start of the game and a 30-minute rain delay in the eighth inning,
the UALR Trojans (4-2) were able to knock off the Valparaiso Crusaders (2-1) by
the score of 5-0 on a cold and soggy Friday evening at Gary Hogan Field.
The Trojans were led for the second straight Friday with a
solid pitching effort from junior Jake
Sullivan. Sullivan struck out 11 and allowed just three hits in 6.1 innings
of work to improve to 2-0 on the year. At one portion of the game, between the
top of the third inning and the top of the fifth inning, Sullivan had struck
out seven straight Crusader hitters.
Through 14 innings of work on the season, the Trojan left-hander
has allowed no runs, given up just seven hits and four walks while striking out
16.
Gavin Gray came on in relief of Sullivan and
threw excellently, striking out three, in 2.2 innings of work to close out the
game.
Valparaiso's Alex Berry was hit with the loss
in his first appearance of the year. He allowed four runs on five hits while
striking out three over six innings of work.
Offensively, the Trojans did most of the damage in the
very first inning as Matt Apfel
singled up the middle, plating Eric
Hanlon to open the scoring. After a walk to clean-up hitter Tyson Parks, Landis Wilson singled driving in Nate Brown, who reached after being hit by a pitch. The RBI for Wilson was his team-best
seventh of the year. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Tim Emmons grounded into a double play allowing Apfel to score and
Parks to advance to third. UALR second baseman Josh Marazzito then brought Parks around on a single to right field
making the score 4-0 after the first frame.
The UALR offense would not strike again until the seventh
inning when Hanlon drove in Anthony
Gower on a sacrifice fly. Hanlon finished the day 1-for-3 with an RBI and a
run scored.
Valparaiso's Alex Berry was hit with the loss
in his first appearance of the year. He allowed four runs on five hits,
striking out three over six innings of work.
UALR and Valparaiso
are scheduled to play game two of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at
Gary Hogan Field. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
