ULM Takes Series Opener Against Little Rock

MONROE, La. – Little Rock baseball (23-23, 14-11 Sun Belt) fell 4-1 in the series opener at ULM (20-30, 10-15 Sun Belt) on Friday night at Warhawk Field in Monroe.
 
Hits came at a premium on both sides as Little Rock tied a season-low with four while ULM only mustered five.
 
Hayden Martin was the only Trojan to record multiple hits as he went 2 for 4. Jonathan Davis hit Little Rock's fourth and final hit of the game as he came on to pinch hit.
 
Ryan Scott picked up Little Rock's only RBI of the night as he went 1 for 3. Scott is now just six hits away from breaking the Little Rock single-season record.
 
After two scoreless innings to begin the contest, Little Rock took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. After Hunter Owens reached on a fielder's choice and Hayden Martin singled with one out, a wild pitch advanced the runners into scoring position. Ryan Scott picked up his 56th RBI of the season on a ground out to second as Owens scored to put the Trojans out front.
 
ULM struck back in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Josh Faciane hit an RBI single up the middle to square things up at 1-1. After Nathan Pugh was hit by a pitch, Jacob Stockton hit a two-run double down the left field line to give the Warhawks a 3-1 lead.
 
The Warhawks added another run and took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Danny Springer got the inning started with a double down the left field line. A sac bunt moved Springer to third before he scored on a sacrifice fly to deep left by Spencer Hemphill.
 
Little Rock starting pitcher Matt McDowell (3-2) took the loss as threw 7.0 innings, struck out three and allowed four runs (all earned) on five hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch on 95 pitches. McDowell gave way to lefty Jarrid Garcia to begin the eighth inning. Garcia's only pitch of the night was a ground out back to the mound against the left-handed batter. Keenan Wingfield came on and recorded the final two outs with a strikeout and a fly out on just six pitches.
 
Little Rock couldn't put any runs together in the top of the ninth. The Trojans left two on base as a fly out to deep right ended the game.
 
"We just didn't execute our plan tonight," head coach Chris Curry said. "We left some pitches out over the plate early, and ULM was able to cash in on them. We had some opportunities to advance runners and didn't. It was a combination of those two things. We'll get back at it tomorrow, stick with our plan and be okay."
 
Little Rock will look to even the series at ULM tomorrow night at 6 p.m.