FLORENCE, Ala. – Little Rock's offense gave the Trojans an early cushion, and that was all the Trojan pitching staff would need as Little Rock evened the weekend series against North Alabama with a 9-1 win at Mike D. Lane Stadium.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Little Rock broke through in the third, putting five runs on the board to open up a 5-0 lead.
Kobe Barnum opened up the scoring with a solo home run, the first of his Trojan career, giving Little Rock the 1-0 lead.
Miguel Soto,
Eldrige Figueroa and
Tyler Williams all got on base by various methods, loading the bases for
Noah Dickerson who ripped a bases clearing double, upping the Little Rock lead to 4-0.
John Michael Russ then continued his hot start to the season, notching an RBI single to score Dickerson and give Little Rock the 5-0 advantage.
That advantage was plenty for
Hayden Arnold, who went 4.1 innings and allowed just four hits and one Lion run, an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, with one walk and six strikeouts. He was relieved by
Aaron Barkley with one out in the fifth, shutting the door on the North Alabama scoring threat.
Little Rock got the run back in the top of the sixth, beginning with back-to-back singles by
Nathan Lyons and
Miguel Soto to give the Trojans at the corners.
Jorden Hussein drove in Lyons with an RBI single, pushing the Trojan advantage back to five at 6-1.
The Trojans added two more in the eighth, starting the run with Figueroa reaching first on a strikeout, courtesy of a North Alabama passed ball. After a single from Williams pushed Figueroaa to third, a passed ball brought him home to up the score to 7-1. A walk to Dickerson put two runners on and Russ registered another RBI single, allowing Williams to score from second and put Little Rock in control 8-1.
A final insurance run in the ninth solidified the win when Soto drove in Lyons, who led off the inning with a single to push the Trojan lead to 9-1.
Cal Beardsley relieved Barkley in the ninth and retired the Lions in order, including a pair of strikeouts to seal the win.
Little Rock's bats pounded out 15 hits, tying a season-high, as nearly every Trojan batter finished with at least one hit on the day. Russ continued to pace the Little Rock offensive attack, going 4-for-5 with an RBI while Lyons went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored on the afternoon.
Soto and Hussein both finished 2-for-5 with an RBI each and Dickerson led the way with his three RBI off the bases clearing double in the third.
On the mound, Little Rock's arms amassed 12 strikeouts against North Alabama batters. Starter
Hayden Arnold went 4.1 innings and gave up just one run on four hits with six strikeouts, earning the no decision. Barkley earned the win for the Trojans, giving up just one hit over his 3.2 innings of work with four strikeouts, leading into the scoreless inning for Beardsley.
Little Rock will go for its first series win of the season in the rubber match against North Alabama.
Jack DeCooman is slated to get the start for the Trojans with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. at Mike D. Lane Stadium.
#LittleRocksTeam
