LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock's offensive production came home from the road trip as the Trojans tie a season-high with 13 runs Friday night, rallying for a 13-9 victory over South Alabama at
Gary Hogan Field.
The win pushes the Trojans' record to 24-19 on the year and 13-8 in Sun Belt Conference play, keeping Little Rock in first place of the West Division, a half game better than Louisiana.
"It was a very atypical game, having two really good pitchers squaring off, and to have the offenses handle them the way they did, it was phenomenal," said head coach
Chris Curry. "It was a heavyweight fight back and fight between two teams - the defending champs in South Alabama and a team like us who is trying to compete for championships.
Matt Merino had the big night, but the team as a whole did a lot of things well tonight despite it being sloppy, and that's what we've done all year."
It was an offensive juggernaut of a game on a rainy afternoon in as the Trojans' 13 runs came on 13 hits Friday night, led by
Matt Merino and
Kale Emshoff both going 3-for-5 against the Jaguars with a combined seven RBI between the two.
Marcus Ragan and
Ryan Benavidez each had a pair of hits for Little Rock with Ragan, Merino, Benavidez and
Danny Mitchell Jr. each crossing home plate twice.
Little Rock wasted no time, taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Trojans led off the inning with a single by Ragan and a walk from Mitchell Jr., followed by a Merino single to left center, scoring Ragan from second. Emshoff then knocked a shot to right to bring Mitchell Jr. home and push the lead to 2-0.
The third inning, played in a steady rain, challenged both teams pitchers as the Trojans and Jaguars combined for 11 runs. South Alabama opened the top of the inning with five runs, including a grand slam off starter
Chandler Fidel to give the Jaguars the 5-2 lead.
Little Rock responded with six runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning, reclaiming the lead at 8-5. Merino began the scoring with a two-run blast after Mitchell Jr. was hit by a pitch. That started an extended sequence which included an Emshoff single, a walk for
Riley Pittman, a double for
Nick Perez, scoring Emshoff, and Benavidez reaching on an error by the shortstop, scoring Pittman.
Christian Reyes, the seventh batter of the inning, registered the first Trojan out with a ground out to third, but it still scored a run as Perez scored from third, putting Little Rock up 7-5. The scoring cycle ended with Ragan singling up the middle, bringing Benavidez home and giving Little Rock the 8-5 lead.
South Alabama chipped away at the Little Rock lead, scoring two in the fifth, one in the sixth and another in the seventh, taking a 9-8 lead on the Trojans into the eighth.
But the Trojan bats came alive in the bottom of the eighth, starting with doubles from Benavidez and Coker, bringing Benavidez home and knotting the game at 9-9. The Coker double ignited another extended sequence for Little Rock as five-straight Trojans reached base. That stretch included a walk from Ragan, a single from
James Gann, scoring Coker, a single to right for Merino, scoring Ragan, and an Emshoff double down the left field line, plating both Merino and pinch hitter
Justin Cooper to give Little Rock the four-run cushion.
That set the stage for
Justin Garcia, who secured the four-run lead with a strikeout, keeping the Jaguars hitless in the ninth.
Fidel lasted 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits with five strikeouts and four walks, earning the no-decision.
Hayden Arnold allowed two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings pitched, setting the stage for the trio of
Donavin Buck,
Carter Brown and Garcia, who combined to allow just three hits over the final 2.2 innings. Brown picks up the win as the pitcher of record after the eighth inning, his first in a Trojan uniform.
With the 13 runs scored Friday night, Little Rock has now registered 41 runs in its last four games, tying its season-high for runs in a game.
Little Rock and South Alabama get together for game two of the weekend series as the Trojans try to clinch their eighth series victory of the season. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at
Gary Hogan Field.
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