LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock jumped out to an early lead in the first, then held off some late UA Pine Bluff threats to earn the 7-2 win at Gary Hogan Field Wednesday afternoon. The win is the third-straight for Little Rock, who improves to 12-8 on the season and 6-2 at home in 2021.
The victory over the Golden Lions also marks the 11th-straight for Little Rock over in-state opponents, dating back to the 2018 season. Wednesday's game was the start of a six-game stretch for the Trojans against opponents from the Natural State.
It was the Golden Lions that raced out to the early lead however, using a double and single with nobody out to jump out to the 1-0 lead in the first. A strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play ended the threat in the first, setting the tone for the later innings.
The UAPB lead didn't last long, however, as Little Rock bounced back with four runs in the bottom half of the first.
Nathan Lyons was hit by a pitch in the leadoff spot, and Jordan Hussein drew a five-pitch walk, giving two on for
Tyler Williams who ripped his team-best eighth double of the year to drive in his team-leading 22nd RBI, evening the score at 1-1.
Noah Dickerson drew a walk to load the bases for
Kobe Barnum, who drove in a run off an infield single to push the Trojans in front 2-1. A sacrifice fly for
Kenny Rodriguez upped the lead to 3-1 before an Antony Socci single to center pushed the advantage to 4-1.
The score remained the same until the fourth when the Trojans struck for another big inning, plating three runs. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Rodriguez, who answered with a two RBI single to left center to give Little Rock the 6-1 lead. Socci drew a walk to reload the bases and allow
Eldrige Figueroa to drive in a run off a fielder's choice to give Little Rock the 7-1 advantage.
UAPB's offense began to heat up in the fifth, getting a run back off a two-out RBI double to pull to within five at 7-2. The Golden Lions then threatened in both the sixth and seventh, loading the bases with just one out, but on both occasions, the Trojans turned the double play to get out of the jam.
After pitching seven pitchers through the first 6.1 innings,
Dillon Delgadillo came on with one out in the seventh and drove the Trojans home. The fifth-year right hander went the final 2.2 innings and retired all seven batters he faced, striking out two to earn the win for Little Rock.
Hussein, Barnum and Rodriguez all finished with a pair of hits on the afternoon for the Trojans with Rodriguez driving in a team-best three runs. Barnum drove in one with a run scored while Dickerson scored twice for Little Rock, which posted a 10-4 record in the month of March.
Chance Vaught earned his first career start for Little Rock on the mound as he,
Luke Wallner,
Erik McKnight,
Eli Sievert and
Sawyer Smallwood all pitched at least one inning for the Trojans with the staff combining for six strikeouts.
The Natural State stretch now heads to northeast Arkansas for a rivalry showdown with Arkansas State as Little Rock returns to Sun Belt play. The Trojans and Red Wolves will play a three game series at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro, beginning Thursday with a 6 p.m. first pitch.
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