Figueroa's Walk-Off Squeeze Clinches Series Sweep

LITTLE ROCK- The Trojans completed the sweep of Georgia State with a walk-off squeeze bunt from Eldridge Figueroa to grab a 3-2 win in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field.
 
"We told [Figueroa], if he gets on, if it's first-and-third, we're 'safety-ing' because that's in his tool-bag, it's what he does," said Head Coach Chris Curry.
 
Jose Torres produced a quality start in what would prove to be a pitcher's duel between him and Panthers' starter Trey Horton. Torres threw six and 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run, while punching out six batters. However, the junior would finish his outing with a no-decision as he would hand the ball off to Mason Leeming in the seventh inning. Leeming recorded one out before Donavin Buck would finish things off for Little Rock. The Brawley, Calif. native earned the win after tossing two and 1/3 innings to close the game.
 
The four and five spots in the order were huge for the Trojans on the day. Riley Pittman recorded yet another multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. James Gann also posted two doubles on the day while logging an RBI and a walk.
 
The Trojans wasted no time to get the lead in the contest when Pittman ripped a double into the right-center gap to score Garrett Scott who reached on a two-out hit-by-pitch.
 
Georgia State would answer in the second inning to even the score at 1-1. The Panthers nearly scored again in the third, but an incredible diving catch from Troy Alexander left two runners stranded and preserved the tie game.
 
The bats went quiet for the next six innings in a game dominated by pitching and defense.
 
In the ninth inning, Georgia State pushed a run across to take a 2-1 lead, leaving Little Rock with only three outs to work with.
 
Pittman led off the final frame by registering his second double of the day, blasting a line drive off the right-field wall. Gann traded places with Pittman, plating him with a double of his own that just extended past the reach of the Panthers' centerfielder. Ramon Padilla then singled to keep the rally going.
 
The winning moment came in a first-and-third situation. Figueroa executed a perfectly-timed squeeze bunt, just to the first-base side of Georgia State hurler Hunter Gaddis, to score pinch-runner Miguel Soto and clinch the series sweep for the hosts.
 
"I struggled earlier, but I just had to do whatever I could for my team to get it down," Figueroa said. "As soon as I saw Kale [Emshoff] running at me I knew it was game."
 
Little Rock improves to 10-18 (5-4 Sun Belt) and will head to Fayetteville, Ark. to meet 2018 national runners-up Arkansas, April 2 at 6:30 p.m. inside Baum Stadium.
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