Box Score CONWAY, Ark. – The Trojans jumped out to a lead behind Ben Crumpton's bat, but couldn't hold on and lost 5-4 in 11 innings at Central Arkansas.
After UALR (11-15) jumped out to a 4-0 lead UCA (16-10) came back and sent the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th the Bears got a runner on second and an error in the outfield allowed him to race home for a walk-off win.
The Trojans built their 2-0 lead on Crumpton's two-run home run in the third inning and built on to it while using a plethora of pitchers.
Cory Malcom made his first start of his career and worked the first two innings allowing no runs on one hit and struck out two. Jake Busiek came on to work the third but got into a bases loaded jam after hitting two batters and walking another. The Trojans turned to Dillon Moritz with one out and the senior got out of the inning with a 1-2-3 double play to keep the two-run lead.
Moritz, then, ran into trouble in the fourth walking two and allowing a bunt single to load the bases with one out again. But just like he did the inning before he induced a groundball double play to end the inning.
Moritz worked two outs into the fifth before UALR turned to Josh Merrill to be its fourth pitcher of the night. Moritz finished the night with 2.1 innings inducing two double plays and allowing one hit.
Merrill walked the first batter he faced but the next Bear lined a pitch back up the middle. The ball hit Merrill, but the junior was able to pick up the ball and throw the runner out before being helped off by the training staff.
The Trojans added to their lead in the fifth. Crumpton led off with an infield single before Tanner Rockwell and Justin Steelmon beat out infield singles of their own to load the bases. With two outs Austin Pfeiffer singled into left field to score Rockwell and Steelmon to make it 4-0.
Cody Stringer started the bottom of the sixth on the mound for UALR but only faced one batter before the Trojans turned to Chase Rousseau. A walk and hit batter loaded the bases again for UCA. After a fielder's choice and a throwing error by Rousseau trying to pick off the runner at second allowed two runs to score and make it 4-2.
Ethan Schlechte became the seventh UALR hurler used in the game and worked a perfect seventh inning to hold the two-run lead.
Garrett Sherrell came in to pitch the eighth. The freshman allowed two hits, a walk and made an error in the field to allow UCA to tie the game 4-4. Dyllon Brownmiller came in with runners on the corners with no outs and got the first batter he faced to line into a double play. Brownmiller, then, got the third out with a routine groundball to Pfeiffer at shortstop to end the threat.
Once again the Trojans found themselves in some trouble in the bottom of the ninth, but Rockwell replaced Brownmiller and sent the game to extra innings getting two out. Rockwell took the loss allowing an unearned run in the 11th after working 2.0 innings.
Crumpton's big night led the Trojans' offensive attack as they outhit the Bears 8-4. The senior collected three hits including a two run home run. Pfeiffer added the other two RBIs on the night with his two-run single in the fifth. Steelmon collected two hits and scored a run. Drew Merten and Rockwell collected the team's other two hits.
UALR will return to Little Rock for a three-game series against Georgia State. The first game of the series and the first meeting between the two programs will be Friday at 6:00 p.m. Game two on Saturday will start at 4:00 p.m. with the finale on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
