Scott Gets Five Hits, Two Homers in 20-3 Win Vs. MVSU

LITTLE ROCK – Offense was alive and well for Little Rock baseball (4-4) as it took a 20-3 win with 20 hits over Mississippi Valley State (2-7) on Wednesday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
 
The Trojans' Ryan Scott had a monster game as he went 5 for 5 with five RBIs and two home runs, one of which was inside the park. He's the second Little Rock player this season to get five hits in a game and becomes the 14th in program history to tie the record.
 
Starting pitcher and designated hitter Matt McDowell went 4 for 5 with a run and two RBIs, and he allowed just one hit in three innings on the mound. Reliever Zach Ours picked up the win as he went 2.0 innings with no hits, two strikeouts and a walk.
 
"I really thought our guys stayed locked in," head coach Chris Curry said. "I'm really happy our guys were throwing the ball over the plate. That's something that has been hindering us in the last few games. I'm proud of how our guys recovered from the weekend."
 
The onslaught began in the bottom of the first inning with three runs crossing the plate for Little Rock. Hunter Owens started the game with a double down the left field line and scored on an RBI single from Scott. Dalton Thomas doubled to left to put runners in scoring position. McDowell fouled out to third, but Scott was able to score on the sacrifice fly. Nik Gifford hit a sacrifice fly to left as Thomas scored to put Little Rock up 3-0.
 
Little Rock scored its most runs in the bottom of the second as the Trojans batted around. Hayden Martin reached on an error and advanced to second on a ground out. After Scott was walked, he and Martin pulled off a double steal to put both runners in scoring position. Thomas took an RBI ground out as Martin scored. McDowell singled to third to put runners on the corners before a Gifford single to center scored Scott. Cameron Knight hit an RBI double down the right field line as McDowell scored. Zach Baker pulled off a two-run double down the right field line, scoring Gifford and Knight. Kyle Kirk hit an RBI single and advanced to second on the throw home as Baker crossed the plate to make it 9-0.
 
After a Delta Devil pitching change and one out in the third inning, Scott hit an inside the park home run to right as he slid into home right before the ball made it to the catcher, making it a 10-0 Trojan lead.
 
Little Rock scored three more in the bottom of the fourth. Kyle Kirk singled to center and advanced to second on a fielder's choice by Martin. Ty Gunter came on to pinch run for Martin right before he and Kirk moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Scott hit a two-run single to center as Kirk and Gunter scored. After Thomas walked, McDowell singled down the right field line as Scott came home to make it a 13-0 lead.
 
The game remained without a run until the bottom of the seventh as Little Rock made it a 15-0 game. Gifford led the inning off with a single through the right side and advanced to second as Jonathan Davis walked on four pitches. With two outs, Gunter doubled down to left field as Gifford and Davis scored.
 
The Delta Devils finally put some runs on the board in the top of the eighth. With one out, Edward Cox and Arrington Smith singled to put runners on the corners. A double down the right field line by Cole Gullete scored Cox for MVSU's first run. Justin Neese hit a sacrifice fly to left as Smith tagged up at third to make a 15-2 game.
 
The Trojan offensive wasn't over as they made it a 20-2 game in the bottom of the eighth. Scott led the inning off with a solo home run to left field, marking his fourth of the season and second of the game. Thomas walked on four pitches and advanced to second on a single through the left side by McDowell. Gifford reached on a fielder's choice, but McDowell was put out at second. With runners on the corners, Davis hit a two-run double to score Gifford and Thomas. Christian Reyes reached on an error to put runners on the corners once more. Kirk then reached on another Delta Devil error as Davis scored from third. Gunter hit a sacrifice fly to left as Reyes came across for the Trojans' fifth run of the inning.
 
With a comfortable 20-2 lead, the Trojans gave up a run to the Delta Devils in the top of the ninth. Chris McWright got on with a leadoff walk, Quitman Smith singled through the left side with one out. Fredrick Spencer II singled through the left side as the McWright scored MVSU's final run of the game. A fielder's choice and a ground out to third ended it as the Trojans took the win.
 
Gifford finished the game 2 for 4 with a two RBIs, three runs and a walk. Baker ended up 2 for 3 with a two RBIs, a run and a walk. Gunter finished up 1 for 2 with three RBIs and a run, and Kyle Kirk went 2 for 6 with two RBIs and a run.
 
The last time Little Rock scored 20 runs in a game was in 2012 against South Dakota State, winning 20-8. That was also the last time Little Rock had 20 hits in a game.
 
Little Rock will go on its first road trip of the season to Oral Roberts with a four-game series scheduled to begin on Friday at 3 p.m.