Eagles Outlast Trojans in High-Scoring Affair

Box Score STATESBORO, Ga.- In a high-scoring affair, host Georgia Southern outlasted Little Rock 15-10 to take the series in game three of the weekend.
 
Ryan Benavidez stayed hot at the plate with a 5-for-6 performance, the first five-hit day of his career, to bring his average to .357 on the season. Christian Reyes, Riley Pittman and Troy Alexander each notched two-hit days while James Gann picked up three knocks, including a solo shot, his seventh of the season.
 
The Trojans got on the board in their first turn at the plate when Reyes got things started by slapping a single to right field after battling with two strikes. Benavidez then chopped a ball over the first baseman's head to make it back-to-back hits to start the contest. Reyes came around to score when Benavidez was caught stealing in a first-and-third situation to give Little Rock the early 1-0 lead.
 
Georgia Southern rallied to take a two-run lead in the bottom of the second inning. Hayden Arnold would then come on to replace starter Ty Gordon and the sophomore did well to minimize the damage and get out of the inning.
 
The Eagles extended their lead to three runs in the third inning with a two-run home run.
 
Another rally was started by the Little Rock leadoff hitter when Reyes was hit by a pitch. Benavidez then picked up his second hit of the day with a single to right field. Garrett Scott grounded out to score Reyes and make the score 4-2 in favor of the hosts.
 
Georgia Southern pushed another run across in the fifth inning to regain their three-run lead.
 
In the sixth inning, Gann went opposite field for his second home run of the series to cut the lead to just two runs. The Trojans were not done, however, as Troy Alexander drew a walk before Ramon Padilla kept things going with a single through the left side. Eldridge Figueroa laid down a perfect bunt to load the bases with no outs before Reyes and Benavidez each singled to make the score 6-5 to the Trojans.
 
The Eagles would take the lead in this back-and-fourth contest when a bases-clearing double gave the hosts a 9-6 advantage. A sacrifice fly would make the score 10-6 going into the seventh inning.
 
Little Rock continued to fight until the end, tying the game with a four-run eighth inning. Base hits from Pittman and Gann plated Benavidez and Scott to make the score 10-8. Alexander brought home Pittman with a groundout before Ramon Padilla got the game-tying hit to score Gann. Heading into the bottom of the eighth, the score was tied 10-10.
 
The go-ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth came from two passed balls, bring two Eagles around to score to make it 12-10. A walk with the bases loaded brought another run home before a hit scored two more to make it 15-10. The hosts would shutout the Trojans in the final inning to clinch the series victory.
 
The Trojans fall to 7-17 (2-4 Sun Belt) and will get back to action March 26 at 6 p.m. when they travel to Tulsa, Okla. to take on Oral Roberts.
 
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