HUNTSVILLE, Texas – A six-run Sam Houston sixth inning flipped a two-run Little Rock lead into a four-run deficit, and the Trojans couldn't recover in a 9-4 loss Saturday night at Don Sanders Stadium.
Little Rock out-hit Sam Houston eight to seven on the night as both teams generated three extra base hits, but the Bearkats were able to string hits together in the sixth to turn the tide of the game.
Eldrige Figueroa was the lone Trojan to amass multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, with
Tyler Williams and
Kobe Barnum adding doubles of their own.
The Trojans found themselves in a hole early as a two-run home run by Sam Houston in the bottom of the first gave the Bearkats the 2-0 lead. But Little Rock's 34th double play of the season got the Trojans out of the jam and limited the damage.
Following the tough first inning, starter
Aaron Funk settled down, striking out five-straight Bearkats and retiring 12 of the next 13 batters, sending eight Bearkats down on strikes during that span. The lone blemish during that four inning span was a fielding error in the third that caused no damage.
Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, Little Rock came up with a big inning, bringing four runs across to take a 4-2 lead. Figueroa started it off with a walk, then advanced to second on a passed ball before being driven home off an RBI single from
Noah Dickerson.
Little Rock then loaded the bases behind
John Michael Russ being hit by a pitch and a single by
Kenny Rodriguez, setting the table for
Kobe Barnum who delivered a two-out ground rule double that brought a pair home to make it 3-2 Trojans.
Jorden Hussein was then able to induce a fielding error, buying enough time to bring Rodriguez home and give Little Rock the 4-2 lead.
But the lead was short lived as Sam Houston used five hits, including a triple, and two walks before the Trojans could register an out, turning the 4-2 Little Rock lead into an 8-4 deficit.
Little Rock threatened in the seventh, getting a pair of runners on with two outs, but couldn't get the key hits. Sam Houston added a two-out run off a wild pitch in the bottom half of the seventh, upping the lead to 9-4, and the last six outs by Little Rock all came by way of strikeouts.
Sam Houston's pitching staff combined to strike out 17 Trojan batters on the night, while Little Rock's contingent combined for 10 strikeouts of their own. Funk was credited with the loss after allowing five runs on three hits, finishing with the eight strikeouts.
Calvin Hunt pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one run with no hits, while
Sawyer Smallwood pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit with a strikeout.
The Trojans and Bearkats will meet Sunday afternoon in the rubber game of the three-game series as
Jacob Weatherley is slated to get the start for Little Rock. First pitch from Huntsville is scheduled for 1 p.m.
#LittleRocksTeam
