Box Score NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The UALR baseball team (2-2) won
the finale of its four-game series with Stephen F. Austin (2-2) by a final of
3-0 on Saturday at Jaycees Field, splitting their opening-weekend against the
'Jacks. Garret Graziano and Travis Henke combined for the Trojans
first shutout of the season, with Graziano getting the win after allowing just
six hits and striking out four in six scoreless innings of work.
Offensively,
the Trojans did all their damage early, getting on the board with a two-run first
inning before adding their final run in the top of the third. Casey McCollum, Jake Rowell, Sean Bignall
and Niko Navarro had a hit apiece
for the Trojans, while Cody Gilles
and Jason Houston combined for three
RBI.
With
runners at second and third in the top of the first inning, Gilles drove home
the first Trojan run when the junior's ground ball to short was mishandled by
Jason Lewis, allowing McCollum to score from third and giving the Trojans
runners at the corners. The next batter, Houston, laid a sacrifice bunt down
the first base line that brought Rowell home, making the score 2-0 in favor of
UALR.
After
Graziano retired six in a row to start the game, the Trojan offense produced
their third run of the contest in the top half of the third.
Following
a McCollum double to lead off the inning, a sacrifice bunt by Rowell gave the
Trojans a runner at third with just one out. A Gilles fly ball to center would
allow McCollum to tag and score, increasing the UALR lead to 3-0.
Entering
the contest with runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the
seventh and protecting a 3-0 lead, Henke was able to get UALR out of the inning
and the game with no further damage. The senior struck out the first three
batters he faced and retired nine in a row, finishing the game with five K's in
just three innings of work to get his first save of the season and secure
UALR's second win.
The
Trojans will have just one day off before returning to the field for a mid-week
contest at Louisiana Tech at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22.
