Little Rock Drops 3-2 Decision at Northwestern State

NATCHITOCHES, La. - Little Rock's pitching held Northwestern State to just three runs on six hits and nine strikeouts, but the Trojan bats struggled as Little Rock managed just three hits in a 3-2 loss to Northwestern State on Wednesday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
The Trojans drop the season series to the Demons 3-1, as all three losses came either by one run or in extra innings. Little Rock also falls to 20-15 on the year.

"I thought there were extreme positives and extreme negatives tonight," said head coach Chris Curry. "I thought McKinley Moore had one of his better outings as a Trojan and gave us the outing that we needed. Both Ethan Daily and Nick Perez were great in relief in holding the game where it was and giving us a chance to win. On the flip side, offensively, our approach as a team was very poor and really didn't execute what our plan was. We had a chance to jump out early and let that get away. When its a close game late on the road, it makes it tough."
 
Danny Mitchell Jr. followed up his stellar performance on Sunday with another solid outing, accounting for two of Little Rock's three hits and scoring both of the Trojan runs on the evening. Over the last two games, Mitchell Jr. has gone 5-for-8 with three RBI and three runs scored for Little Rock, including a home run and a double and a pair of stolen bases.
 
Mitchell Jr. struck first in the top of the first, singling to start the game and following it up by stealing second. Chase Coker registered the only other hit of the night for Little Rock, singling to move Mitchell Jr. to third, followed by a walk from Kale Emshoff to load the bases.
 
Riley Pittman then sacrificed to right, plating Mitchell Jr. and giving the Trojans the 1-0 lead early, but Little Rock was unable to get any other runs across in the inning.
 
Northwestern State responded with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth, giving the Demons the 3-1 lead. Mitchell Jr. would double in the top of the sixth, ending a streak of 12-straight Trojans that were retired, and he would race from third as Matt Merino's grounder to short was mishandled for an error, pulling Little Rock to within one at 3-2.
 
The Trojans had a chance to tie the game in the seventh as Pittman reached base on a catcher's interference call and made it around to third off of a Nick Perez sacrifice bunt and a Troy Alexander groundout. Pittman took a chance and tried to steal home, but he was tagged out to end the threat.
 
Starter McKinley Moore had a great start to the game, striking out five in the first two innings. Moore took the loss on the night, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing all three Demon runs on five hits, walking four.
 
The Trojans' bullpen then kept Little Rock in the game as Ethan Daily and Nick Perez combined to allow just one Demon hit over the final 3.2 innings, striking out four.
 
Little Rock will remain in Louisiana as they continue on to Lafayette for a three-game weekend series against the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana. Game one at Russo Park is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch Friday evening.
 
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