Box Score GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The UALR baseball team fell to Iowa by 3-1 score on Friday at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Cory Malcom had another great outing for the Trojans with six innings on the mound, striking out five and allowing just two earned runs, but the Trojans' bats couldn't come alive.
“We faced a very good Iowa club who ran out four good arms, two of whom will be pitchers on the professional side and will receive a lot of interest," UALR coach Chris Curry said. "Our guys battled. They had really, really good at-bats against some really good arms that threw in the low to mid 90s. We had a few long at-bats and some big hits. One was with two strikes, and we just weren't able to get the big hit to put us over the hump. We had a couple of runners on, and we took fastballs with runners in scoring position. We had runners at second and third with one out, and we weren't able to get the situational at-bat that we needed. Iowa, to their credit, did.”
Iowa started the game with a single through the right side and a groundout to Justin Steelmon. The Iowa runner advanced to second and eventually scored after another Hawkeyes single.
Iowa got on the board again in the sixth inning with a solo homer to left.
The Trojans finally put up a run in the bottom of the sixth after Ryan Scott got on base with a double to left center. Scott advanced to third on a wild pitch with Tanner Rockwell at the plate. Rockwell eventually walked, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Steelmon came to the plate and knocked one up the middle, scoring Scott from third. The Trojans ended the inning with Rockwell and Steelmon still on base.
Down 2-1, UALR allowed another run in the top of the ninth after a double to left center and a single up the middle.
Going into the bottom of the ninth down 3-1 with one out, the Trojans were able to get Drew Merten on base after he was hit by a pitch. Ryan McSwain came in to pinch run with pinch hitter Jason Prevatt up to bat. After taking a called first strike, Prevatt hit into a 1-6-3 double play to end the game.
Cameron Allen was UALR's only reliever as he took the mound in the seventh and pitched the rest of the way. Allen struck out one and gave up three hits and a run.
“Cory Malcom and Cameron Allen gave us a chance to win on the mound with Cory going six innings and Cameron going three,” Curry said. “We just made a couple of tough pitches that Iowa capitalized on, and that was the difference in the game. They capitalized in situational hitting and we didn't.”
As a team, the Trojans had four hits, but it was wasn't enough to overcome seven strikeouts and leaving seven runners on base.
“I told the team on Friday afternoon that when you're facing the No. 1 pitcher, the game comes down to two opportunities to get it done. If you don't get it done when they're on the hook, that's why they're the No. 1. They find a way to work out of it.
“I encouraged our team. We don't believe in moral victories, but our preparation and plan today was there. That was a step in the right direction against a very good team. We look forward to tomorrow and getting back out there and playing hard.”
The Trojans will try to avoid a four-game skid when they return to QuikTrip Park to face the Missouri State Bears on Saturday at 6 p.m.
