Jaguars Take Series Opener Against Trojans

MOBILE, Ala. – Little Rock baseball's series opener at South Alabama got off on the wrong foot as the Trojans took an 8-3 loss on Friday night at Stanky Field.
 
Dalton Thomas went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a double, and Riley Pittman went 2 for 5 with two runs, an RBI and a triple. Cale Ridling was 2 for 5 with a double, and Hunter Owens was 1 for 3 with a run, a triple and two walks.
 
South Alabama's Dylan Hardy was the only Jaguar with more than one hit as he went 2 for 5 with a run. Will Luft went 1 for 3 with a game-high two RBIs and a run.
 
The Trojans (16-29, 7-15 Sun Belt) had the advantage with 10 hits for night while the Jaguars (29-17, 16-6) came up with nine. Of Little Rock's 10 hits, four went for extra bases with two doubles and two triples. The Trojans' two triples were their most in a game since 2014 at Texas State.
 
"I thought we had a really good offensive plan early," Little Rock head coach Chris Curry said. "The guys were executing it with outstanding at-bats and hard-hit balls, but the key to winning against a good club on the road is scoring in waves. When we score in the first three innings, we need to score at least a couple of more times."
 
The Jaguars' Randy Bell (5-3) earned the win after he threw 6.1 innings, struck out six and allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks. Matt Peacock tallied his seventh save of the year after throwing 2.2 innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed. Trojan starter Ryan LeMoine (2-5) took the loss as he threw four innings, struck out five and allowed five runs on seven hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
 
Little Rock came out swinging in the top of the first as it plated two runs on four hits. The Trojans' first hit of the game came on a triple by Owens down the right field line with one out. Pittman had a near-home run off the right center wall, but he was able to turn it into an RBI triple as Owens trotted home. Thomas then scored Pittman with an RBI single into right.
 
With two outs and Pittman on second, Cameron Knight hit an RBI single through the right side. Pittman narrowly beat the tag at home to put Little Rock up 3-0.
 
South Alabama cut into Little Rock's lead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run off the bat of Wells Davis.
 
The Jaguars put together a big inning in the bottom of the fifth with four runs on four hits and an error. Jared Barnes doubled to left before advancing to third on a Trojan error. Luft then brought home Barnes on an RBI single through the left side. After Hardy singled to put runners on the corners, an RBI single by Colton Thomas tied the game at 3-all. Right after Justin Garcia came on to pitch for LeMoine, a wild pitch scored Hardy to give the Jaguars their first lead. An RBI ground out to first by Paul Russo scored Thomas to put South Alabama up 5-3.
 
The Jags kept the runs coming in the bottom of the seventh inning. RBI singles by Matt Bolger and Drew LaBounty and a successful squeeze bunt by Luft gave South Alabama an 8-3 lead. The Trojans' Matt McDowell then came on for Dylan Slayton and threw two flawless innings of relief with one strikeout.
 
Little Rock wasn't able to bounce back from the deficit as it tallied just one hit over the final four innings.
 
"If we stick with our plan on the offensive side for nine innings and do not set the table for South Alabama when we're on defense, we'll have a good chance tomorrow," Curry added.
 
The Trojans will look to even the series tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.