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Box Score 2 LITTLE ROCK – The UALR baseball team had a tough day on Saturday, dropping both games of a doubleheader to Evansville at Gary Hogan Field. The Purple Aces claimed the first game of the afternoon by a 7-2 score before defeating the Trojans 16-2 in the second game.
“Today was a day where our players needed to learn what it takes to show up to the park every day ready to go,” head coach Chris Curry said. “Our approach was not there on the mound or plate. We didn't do what we believe in which is attack the strike zone and get ahead of the hitters on the mound. We didn't execute the plan that we've been coached to do.”
Stephen Chandler was the UALR starting pitcher in the second game, and he gave up seven runs (six earned) and eight while making it through 2 2/3 innings. Chad Bradford replaced him in the top of the third and allowed two more runs, giving the Purple Aces a 9-0 lead through four innings.
UALR fought back in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs after the first three batters reached. Justin Steelmon reached on a single, Tanner Rockwell walked and Kyle Kirk reached on an error. James Gillean grounded out to second base to score Steelmon, and a Jason Prevatt double brought Rockwell and Kirk home to bring UALR within six runs at 9-3.
But the Purple Aces did not quiet down, scoring another run in the fifth inning and then getting six in the sixth inning including a grand slam by Josh Jyawook. Neither team scored in the seventh inning, and the game was called after seven innings because of the 10-run rule.
Prevatt was the Trojans' top offensive player in the game, getting two hits and two RBIs. Preston Oberling, Duncan McNair and Adam Ness saw their first action as Trojans on the mound.
“A couple of mistakes on defense early cost us, and then give Evansville credit for hitting the ball well,” Curry said. “They've got a veteran team that knows what they're doing by coming off a championship in their league. They made us pay for our mistakes, which good teams do. What we've got to learn is do the little things like run hard on a fly ball, even though we think we're out. We have to get the bunt down. We've got to play solid defense and turn the double play. We have to pitch ahead in the count. Division I hitters will hurt you when they know what's coming.”
In the day's first game, UALR was behind from the very early going. The Purple Aces scored two runs in the first inning and then tallied three more in the second inning off starter Sam Thoele (0-1, 15.00 ERA) before he settled down. Thoele would pitch the next innings without giving up a run, finishing his day with five strikeouts and giving up five hits.
The Trojans' offense got its two runs in the bottom half of the fifth, starting things off with a Drew Merten double to right-center field. Mitchell Scheuler moved him to third base with a single through the left side, and Merten scored an unearned run on the next at-bat when Petr Sila reached on an error by the Evansville second baseman. Steelmon singled two at-bats later, moving Scheuler to third. Scheuler then came home on a Rockwell sacrifice fly to center field to make it a 5-2 game.
But that would be all the UALR bats could muster. After Reed Willenborg completed three scoreless innings and Jarrid Garcia pitched a perfect seventh inning, the Purple Aces added a couple extra runs in the top of eighth off Dyllon Brownmiller to make it 7-2.
The Trojans loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning but could not bring a runner home.
Merten had the best offensive showing for UALR in Game 1, going 2 for 4 with a run scored.
“We'll move on from this,” Curry said. “It was a tale of two days. With Friday, we did everything we try to do, which is walk two or less per game and eliminate our strikeouts as an offense. We didn't do that today and as a result, we paid the price. This is going to be a learning process. It's going to take some time to get everybody on the same page and used to playing the brand of baseball that Trojans baseball is going to play moving forward.”
UALR will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday when it travels to Central Arkansas for a 6 p.m. game.
