Box Score LITTLE ROCK – UALR baseball (12-18, 9-6) took a narrow 4-3 win over the Sun Belt Conference's second-place Texas State Bobcats (16-16-1, 8-5) on Friday night at Gary Hogan Field.
Three Trojans had two hits for the game including Petr Sila, Ryan Scott and Kyle Kirk. Scott's two hits give him a team-high of 12 multiple hit games this season while also pushing his hitting streak to nine games. With two singles, Kirk extended his reached base streak to 10 games.
Starter Jarrid Garcia picked up his first win of the season as he went seven innings, striking out six and giving up three runs on just three hits. Garcia hurled a season-high of 103 pitches.
“First of all, what great weather and what a great crowd we had for the Trojan Tailgate,” head coach Chris Curry said. “It was a Friday night atmosphere, and it means the world to our players to play in front of such a good crowd.”
UALR manufactured two runs in the bottom of the first. Sila led off the inning with a single to center field, then moved to third on a single by Scott through the right side. The next batter, Tanner Rockwell, reached on a fielder's choice that plated Sila from third. Rockwell would score later in the inning on a wild pitch to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead after an inning of play.
In the bottom of the second, Drew Merten led off the frame with a double and scored on a single by James Gillean to right-center field. Gillean stole second base and moved to third on a ground out by Sila. A two-out, RBI single by Scott plated Gillean to put UALR up 4-0 after two complete.
Texas State added a run in each of the top halves of the third and fourth innings. Luke Sherley led off the third with a walk before moving to second on a sacrifice by Cory Geisler. Sherley advanced to third base on a balk and eventually scored on a RBI groundout off the bat of Cedric Vallieres. A solo shot by Tanner Hill in the top of the fourth cut the Trojans' lead to 4-2.
In the top of the eighth, Texas State was able to cut its deficit to one on a bunt single by Vallieres that scored Jared Huber from third. Huber singled to lead off the inning before advancing to second and third on groundouts. With Dyllon Brownmiller on to pitch for Garcia, Vallieres' squeeze bunt rolled down the third base line, allowing Huber to slide into home safely and make it a 4-3 game. Cameron Allen came on to pitch for Brownmiller and immediately got Granger Studdard to ground out to second to end the frame.
With time running out for a comeback, Texas State's David Paiz led off the ninth inning with a single to left field. After the single, Allen racked up two strikeouts, putting the Bobcats' backs against a wall. Mickey Scott came on to pinch hit for Piaz and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Theodore Hoffman then walked with a 3-1 count to put runners at first and second with two outs. With a 3-2 count, Huber popped up to Gillean, sealing the game for the Trojans and giving Allen his fourth save of the season.
“We're getting to the point in the season where every win is astronomically huge,” Curry said. “I thought Texas State's arm had outstanding stuff.”
The Sun Belt's best fielding team showed its strength as the Trojans allowed no errors.
“I'm proud of the way the Trojans played tonight,” Curry said. “We played a very clean college baseball game. There were a couple of base running mistakes, but no errors. There were great pitches and hits made. That was a fun game if you came out on the winning side. It was a typical Friday night game with two good arms matching up.”
UALR will go for the series win in its second game against Texas State on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Gary Hogan Field.
