Trojans Come Up Shy in 6-4 Loss at ULM

MONROE, La. – A 6-4 loss by Little Rock baseball allowed the ULM Warhawks to even the three-game series at 1-1 on Saturday afternoon at Warhawk Field.
 
Hunter Owens blistered the ball for the second straight day as he went 3 for 4 with a home run, a double, two runs and an RBI. It was the 12th game this season in which Owens had recorded multiple hits as he brought his batting average back up to .400. Nik Gifford went 1 for 3 with a home run, an RBI, a run and walk while Bryce Dimitroff tallied a hit in four at-bats with an RBI and a run. Kale Emshoff was a perfect 2 for 2 with a walk, and Christian Reyes went 1 for 2.
 
"I thought the guys battled all day," head coach Chris Curry said. "I thought we had good at-bats, and there were some very big pitches made, especially out of our bullpen. The thing that got us was that we didn't get the big hit with a runner on third and less than two outs, and we set the table for ULM and created a big inning for them early in the game."
 
The Warhawks (7-17, 2-3 Sun Belt) took the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With Cade Stone on third after a single, a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, Blake Buckman drove him in with an RBI single to center.
 
Little Rock (9-14, 2-3 Sun Belt) got things cooking in the top of the second with two runs on three hits and an error. Owens hit a leadoff double down the right field line and later scored on an RBI double by Dimitroff. Emshoff then singled to right, but an error allowed him to advance to third as Dimitroff came around to score the go-ahead run.
 
Down 2-1, the Warhawks retook the lead in the bottom of the third. Anthony Herrera doubled to lead off the inning before scoring on an RBI single up the middle by Nathan Reynolds. With two outs, Buckman walked to put runners on first and second. An RBI single by Johnny DeLaCruz scored Reynolds and put ULM up by one. A two-run double by Chad Bell plated Buckman and DeLaCruz to give the Warhawks a 5-2 lead.
 
Following ULM's four-run inning, Little Rock quickly trimmed the deficit to two in the top of the fourth. The first pitch of the inning ended up over the left field wall as Owens' fifth home run of the season came in the form of a solo blast.
 
After two scoreless innings, the Trojans struck again in the top of seventh with another first-pitch homer. Gifford hit his third home run of the year on a solo shot to left and cut Little Rock's deficit to 5-4.
 
The Warhawks matched Gifford's home run with one of their own in the bottom of the seventh. On a 1-1 pitch, Buckman hit a solo shot to left center to put ULM back up by two at 6-4.
 
Little Rock turned up the pressure in the top of the eighth inning by loading the bases with one out, but ULM avoided disaster by picking up a strikeout and a line out to short to leave the bases juiced.
 
The Trojans had one final chance in the bottom of the ninth as Riley Pittman singled through the left side with two outs to extend his hitting streak to seven games, but a strikeout ended the contest.
 
Little Rock starter Cole Townsend (2-1) took the loss as he allowed five runs on six hits in 2.2 innings. ULM starter Chase Beal (2-2) earned the win as he threw 7.0 innings, struck out five and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk. Anthony Herrera earned his third save of the year as he came on in the eighth and allowed just two hits and a walk.
 
The Trojans' bullpen did its job as it only allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out four in the final 5.1 innings.
 
"The biggest game of the year is tomorrow," Curry said. "We're looking for a great, quality start. I think if we can get a quality start from somebody that gets us to the sixth or seventh inning with the game close, I like our chances. I like the fight of this club. There is just that last piece of learning to execute that they're still trying to figure out."
 
Little Rock will battle for the series win at ULM tomorrow at 1 p.m.