Trojans Earn Third Straight Win in Victory Over UAPB

LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock baseball (9-11) earned its third straight win with a 7-2 victory over UAPB (4-15) on Tuesday night at Gary Hogan Field.
 
The nation's leading hitter, Ryan Scott, continued to do what he's been doing best this season as he went 3 for 5 with two RBIs. Center fielder Hunter Owens contributed great at-bats of his own as he went 2 for 5 with three RBIs, two runs and earned his first Division I home run.
 
The game started on a sloppy note as Little Rock gave up two errors in the first inning. The Golden Lions' Jaqueese Moore reached on an error to get the game started and proceeded to advance to second on a wild pitch by Trojan starter Jarrid Garcia. As UAPB grounded out to third, an attempted throw to third to catch the advancing Moore was thrown wide. Moore scored on the second error of the inning to put the Golden Lions up 1-0.
 
UAPB continued the game's trend of sloppy defense as Owens reached on error to lead off the bottom frame. After Owens took his second stolen base of the season, Scott earned his first hit of the day with an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.
 
The Golden Lions took back the lead in the top of the fourth. Jordan Knox started the inning with a single through the left side and stole second. After a fly out to center, Knox stole third to UAPB's second run only 90 feet away. A sacrifice fly to center by Jacob Columbo allowed Knox to score and put UAPB up 2-1.
 
The turning point of the game occurred in the top of the fifth inning. With one out and bases loaded, Little Rock went to the bullpen for the first time as Keenan Wingfield (2-2) came on. With a 2-2 count, UAPB grounded into a bases-loaded double play to end the inning. Wingfield was just what the doctor ordered as he went 2.2 innings with a strikeout and nothing against as he eventually picked up the win.
 
After tying the game in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single up the middle by Dalton Thomas, Little Rock began to take control of the game. Cameron Knight led off the sixth inning with a solo shot to center, earning his first home run in a Trojan uniform. The Trojans added another run in the bottom of the seventh with Owens' solo shot.
 
With Little Rock up 4-2 to begin the bottom of the eighth, it looked like it was going to be an easy inning on the mound for UAPB getting a ground out and strikeout. The tables turned as Christian Reyes walked on four straight pitches and reached second on a wild pitch. UAPB struck out Zach Baker, but a wild pitch allowed Baker to reach first and moved Reyes to third. This caused UAPB go to the bullpen. Hayden Martin then walked on four straight balls to force another UAPB pitching change. Owens welcomed the new pitcher with two-run double through the right side as Reyes and Baker scored. Not done yet, Scott hit an infield single to short for his third hit and picked up his second RBI of the game as Martin scored to put Little Rock up 7-2.
 
Cody McGill came on to close things out in the top of the ninth. McGill took over for Preston Oberling, who struck out one and allowed just one hit on nine pitches. McGill was lights out for the Trojans as he struck out three and allowed just one hit to secure Little Rock the victory.
 
"I really like our resiliency, and we keep coming back," head coach Chris Curry said. "I keep saying if we get a good start on the mound, I like our club."
 
Little Rock returns to Gary Hogan Field on Thursday as it welcomes Sun Belt-foe Troy for a three-game series beginning at 6 p.m.