Trojans Fall in Ninth-Inning Battle at Oral Roberts

TULSA, Okla. – On a blustery day in Tulsa, Little Rock baseball (5-7) took a 4-3 loss in the bottom of the ninth inning to Oral Roberts (6-5) on Sunday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
 
Dalton Thomas had the hot bat for Little Rock as he went 4 for 5 with an RBI and a run. Ryan Scott and Hayden Martin each went 2 for 4 with Scott drawing a walk and an RBI.
 
Scoreless through two innings, Oral Roberts knocked in the first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Nick Rotola got the bottom frame started with a single to short and proceeded to steal second. Nick Roark put down a sacrifice bunt as Rotola moved to third. An RBI single from Matt Whatley broke the scoreless tie as Rotola scored to put ORU up 1-0. The Trojans were able to pull off a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
 
Oral Roberts put another run on the board in the fourth. Michael Hungate got on base with a leadoff double to right center. After starter Cole Townsend threw his first strikeout of the game, Noah Cummings singled down the left field line as Hungate came around to score. Little Rock pulled off its third double play of the day to end the inning.
 
With one out in the top of the fifth, back-to-back doubles by Dalton Thomas and Nik Gifford plated the Trojans' first run of the day. Thomas doubled to right center, and then Gifford doubled down the left field line on the first pitch he saw. Thomas scored to cut Little Rock's deficit to 2-1.
 
The Golden Eagles bounced back in the bottom of the fifth. Chase Stafford walked to begin the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rotola. Townsend recorded his second strikeout before intentionally walking Whatley. With a 2-2 count, Brent Williams singled to left as Stafford scored to put Oral Roberts up 3-1.
 
Preston Oberling came on to relieve Townsend to begin the bottom of the sixth as Townsend ended the day with 5.0 innings pitched and two strikeouts while allowing three runs on seven hits and five walks.
 
Oberling pitched well for the majority of his appearance as he didn't allow a hit or walk until the eighth. Williams singled to right center and advanced to second as Hungate was hit by a pitch. Rolando Martinez walked on four pitches to load the bases, signaling an end to Oberling's day. With no outs and bases loaded, Keenan Wingfield came on in relief and did a masterful job as he ended the inning with a pop up, a force out at home and a strikeout.
 
Little Rock made a game of it in the top of the ninth.  With one out, Hayden Martin singled to the pitcher and advanced to second on an Owens walk. Scott earned his second hit of the game with an RBI single to center as Martin scored to bring the game within one. Brady Womacks (1-0) came on for reliever Josh McMinn and threw a wild pitch as Owens and Scott moved into scoring position. Thomas singled to right as Owens scored the tying run at 3-3. Scott came home, but interference was called as he ran into the third-base coach rounding third.
 
Oral Roberts began the bottom of the ninth inning with a Rotola double to center. Cody McGill (0-1) made his way on to pitch for Wingfield. Roark laid down a sac bunt to move the game winning run to third. After intentionally walking Whatley, Williams grounded out to first, but the throw was late as Rotola scored the game winner.
 
"It's a tough way to lose a game when you battle back in the ninth inning on the road against a team that's picked to win their league," head coach Chris Curry said. "I cannot tell you how proud I am of this team and how excited I am moving forward."
 
Barring rain, Little Rock will travel to Pine Bluff on Tuesday to take on UAPB in a midweek contest before the Trojans begin Sun Belt play at home against South Alabama on Friday.