Little Rock Puts on Hit Parade in Victory Over Troy

LITTLE ROCK – Looking to avoid the series sweep, Little Rock baseball was successful as it picked up its first Sun Belt Conference win with a 10-3 victory over Troy on Sunday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
 
Little Rock (8-12, 1-2 Sun Belt) put on a hit parade with 15 for the day — its third most in a game this season. Troy (11-7, 2-1) tallied nine hits, but it left 12 runners on base.
 
"Today's win was huge because every Sun Belt victory is crucial," head coach Chris Curry said. "It was a great team effort, and that's what we're capable of. Troy has a very good club and is going to win a lot of games in the league, and we're just as capable. We need to get going from here and understand that this is what it takes to play nine innings during conference play."
 
Hunter Owens went 2 for 5 with three RBIs, two runs and tallied his third home run of the season. Riley Pittman earned his first career home run as he went 1 for 2 with two RBIs. Getting his second home run of the season was Nik Gifford as he went 1 for 5 with two RBIs. Danny Mitchell Jr. tallied three hits in four at-bats while Bryce Dimitroff went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Zach Baker and Cale Ridling each tallied two hits for the afternoon and scored a run. Dalton Thomas scored three runs as he advanced his reached-base streak to 20 games and his hitting streak to 12 games while going 1 for 4.
 
On the mound, freshman lefty Chandler Fidel (2-2) picked up the win as he went 5.1 innings, struck out three and allowed two runs on six hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Troy starter Houston Mabray (1-1) took the loss after he threw just one inning and allowed four runs on five hits.
 
Troy began the afternoon with a run in the very first inning. With bases loaded, Chase Smartt hit an RBI ground out to second to score Matt Sanders.
 
Little Rock's bats were locked and loaded in the bottom of the first as it batted through the order. After Baker put up a leadoff single, Pittman hit a two-run jack to right to give Little Rock the lead. With runners on the corners, an RBI ground out by Nik Gifford brought home Thomas. Dimitroff then put an RBI single into right as Jonathan Davis came around to put Little Rock up 4-1.
 
With one out in the bottom of the third, Gifford launched a solo shot to left center to give Little Rock a four-run lead.
 
Little Rock kept the runs coming in the bottom of the fourth with three runs on two hits and an error. With runners in scoring position, Owens hit an RBI single to right center to score Ridling from third. As Davis laid down a bunt to advance the runners, an errant throw to third by Troy's Corey Childress allowed Thomas to score from second. With two outs, Dimitroff gave Little Rock an 8-1 lead as he hit an RBI ground out to score Owens.
 
Troy finally responded in the top of the sixth with a two runs on a couple of hits. With one out and a runner on, Corbin Osburn made his way into the game for Little Rock. After Troy hit a double and a struck out, Drew Frederic picked up two RBIs on a single to center.
 
Up 8-3, Little Rock kept its foot on the gas and added a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Owens delivered a fatal blow to Troy as he hit a two-run bomb to left to put Little Rock up 10-3.
 
After Carter Brown and Justin Garcia got out of the seventh with bases loaded, Matt McDowell came on in the top of the eighth. McDowell was fantastic in two innings of relief as he allowed just one hit-by-pitch and earned six ground outs to finish off Troy and prevent the sweep.
 
Done with its first weekend of Sun Belt action, Little Rock will now travel to Columbia, Missouri, to battle No. 23 Missouri on Tuesday night. The midweek matchup against the Tigers will air live on SEC Network Plus with first pitch set for 6:32 p.m., at Taylor Stadium.