Little Rock Drops Series Finale at ULM

MONROE, La. – Little Rock baseball fell 7-1 in the series finale at ULM on Sunday afternoon at Warhawk Field.
 
Nik Gifford went 1 for 3 with a run and a hit-by-pitch while Bryce Dimitroff went 1 for 3 with a hit-by-pitch. Zach Baker and Hunter Owens each went 1 for 4 with a walk while Christian Reyes had the Trojans' only RBI to go along with a walk. Riley Pittman advanced his hitting streak to eight games with one hit.
 
"We obviously have a long way to go to get better," head coach Chris Curry said. "We've got to find a way to believe in ourselves when the moment arises to get the big hit or make the big pitch. I thought we pitched it well enough to win all weekend. I really thought Chandler Fidel gave us a quality start today, and we desperately needed it. The bullpen came out and made some good pitches, but give ULM's hitters credit for finding a way to drop some hits in."
 
Little Rock (9-15, 2-4 Sun Belt) broke up the scoreless game in the top of the fourth. Gifford and Dimitroff were both hit by a pitch to begin the inning. After Kale Emshoff reached base on a fielder's choice and an errant toss to second, the Trojans had bases loaded with no outs. A fielder's choice to short by Reyes scored Gifford to give Little Rock a 1-0 lead.
 
The Trojans' only lead of the afternoon didn't last long as the Warhawks (8-17, 3-3 Sun Belt) added two runs on three hits and an error. With runners on first and second and one out, Tyler Cox hit an RBI single to left center to score Chad Bell before Anthony Herrera hit an RBI single of his own to score Cox.
 
Up 2-1, ULM kept the runs coming in the bottom of the six. With one out and the bases loaded, Herrera hit a three-run triple down the left field line. An RBI double down the left field line by Chad Stone scored Herrera and put the Warhawks up 6-1.
 
ULM scored one final time in the bottom of the eighth with one run on two hits. After Stone hit his second double of the game and advanced to third on a wild pitch, Nathan Reynolds hit an RBI single to third to up the Warhawks' lead to 7-1.
 
The Trojans had plenty of chances to score, but they couldn't get the big hit to put runs across. As a result, Little Rock finished the game with 12 runners left on base — its second-most this season.
 
ULM starter Keegan Curtis (1-3) earned the win as he went 6.2 innings, struck out six and allowed one run on three hits and five walks. Trojan starter Chandler Fidel (2-3) took the loss as he struck out three and allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks in five innings of work.
 
"This team needs to start believing," Curry said. "They need to start believing in each other and believing something good is going to happen. Most importantly, this team needs to develop the ability to overcome the ebbs and flows of a baseball game when things don't go our way mentally. We have to move ourselves beyond that and keep playing. We have to keep giving good at-bats and grinding until we finally grind out a comeback win."
 
Little Rock will wrap up its five-game road trip at No. 11 Ole Miss on Tuesday at 11 a.m. The game will air live on SEC Network Plus.