Box Score LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas State's Andy Ferguson started off Friday's series opener against UALR with 6.0 shutouts innings to lead the Red Wolves (10-9, 1-0 SBC) to an 11-5 victory over the Trojans (8-9, 0-1) at Gary Hogan Field. Ferguson worked a solid 7.0 innings for the Red Wolves, limiting the Trojans to two runs and six hits to improve to 3-1 on the year.
ASU jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back. The Red Wolves used five hits to score five first-inning runs off UALR starter Garret Graziano (2-3), fueled by a three-run homer by Logan Uza. ASU's leftfielder went 3-for-4 in the win with one run scored and four RBI to lead the Red Wolves. Todd Baumgartner added a 3-for-4 day at the plate to help ASU outhit the Trojans 15-to-10.
ASU extended its lead to 6-0 in the top of the second as a runner scored from third on a wild pitch, but Graziano bounced back to retire eight-straight Red Wolves (with four strikeouts) after giving up a single to Dustin Jones in the second. The Trojans didn't fare any better against ASU though, as Ferguson retired 11-consecutive Trojans from the first through fifth innings, starting with an inning-ending double play in the first.
UALR trailed 7-0 after five innings, but rallied to outscore the Red Wolves 5-4 over the final four frames. The Trojans got on the board in the bottom of the sixth as junior Greg Garcia scored from third on a double-play ball by senior Jason Houston. ASU rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh to extend its lead to 10 runs, 11-1, as the first four batters of the frame reached base.
The Trojans tacked on a run in each of the next two frames as junior Nick Rountree plated Houston with a RBI double in the seventh, and junior Sean Bignall hit a solo homer to left in the eighth (his second of the year). UALR plated two more runs in the bottom of the ninth off a two-out, two-run single by Garcia to bring the game to its 11-5 finale.
Garcia was one of four Trojans to record a multi-hit game in the loss, and led the team with two RBI. Graziano was saddled with the loss after allowing nine hits and seven runs (all earned), with six strikeouts, over 4.0 innings.
UALR and ASU return to action tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.
