Trojans Fall to IPFW in Series Opener

LITTLE ROCK – Good pitching hampered any offensive gains as Little Rock baseball (2-2) fell 4-2 to IPFW (4-1) on Friday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
 
Junior catcher Cameron Knight batted in both of the Trojans' runs for the game as he went 1 for 3.
 
The Trojans could only get four hits off IPFW starter Evan Miller as he went seven innings with seven strikeouts and allowed only three hits and run.
 
"We played error-free baseball, but pitching, defense and timely hitting is the recipe," head coach Chris Curry said. "Our offensive approach was really good, and I'm really confident in how we'll swing the bat this year. We ran into a really good arm, and no matter what your approach is against a guy like that, he's going to give you a hard time."
 
The scoring began in the second inning as IPFW's Greg Kaiser took a leadoff homer to right. After Little Rock starter Cory Malcom earned a strikeout, the Mastodons' Grant Wilson walked on seven pitches. Jonathan Valenzuela-Reece then singled to center to put runners on first and second. Jackson Boyce singled to right to load the bases for IPFW. Brandon Soat earned a seven-pitch walk as Wilson trotted home to give the Mastodons a 2-0 lead. That would be all the damage to occur as a force out at home and line out to short ended the inning.
 
Dylan Slayton came on for Malcom in the top of the fifth inning and was welcomed to the game with a leadoff single by Soat. Evan VanSumeren singled to short to put runners on first and second with no outs. A ground out to second put both runners in scoring position, and another ground out to second by Shane Trevino scored Soat. After intentionally walking Kaiser, Slayton struck out Shannon Baker to eliminate the threat of more runs.
 
Down 3-0, Little Rock finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Zach Baker doubled to left center to lead off the inning. Kyle Kirk grounded out to Miller, but Baker safely made his way over to third. Knight earned his first RBI of the afternoon as he grounded out to second, allowing Baker to score and cut the IPFW lead to 3-1.
 
IPFW added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. With one out, VanSumeran doubled to right center. After, Kendall Whitman singled to right to put runners on the corners. Trevino struck out swinging before Little Rock went to the bullpen as Matt McDowell came on for reliever Jacob Rateliff, who pitched 1.2 innings and earned two strikeouts. With McDowell now on the mound with an out to go, Kaiser doubled to center as VanSumeran scored to put IPFW up 4-1.
 
Down three runs, Little Rock would have to work some magic in the bottom of the ninth inning. It started well as Nik Gifford and Ty Gunter walked to begin the frame. With one out, Kirk grounded out to the pitcher, but both runners moved into scoring position. Knight came to the plate and earned his second RBI as got on base with an infield single, allowing Gifford to score and cut the Mastodons' lead to 4-2. Keegan Meyn came on to pinch run for Knight, but a fly out to left field on a 1-0 count ended the game.
 
Little Rock will turn right around and face IPFW in a doubleheader beginning tomorrow at noon at Gary Hogan Field.