TROY, Ala. – Little Rock once again jumped out to an early lead, but Troy scores four runs in the final four innings, including a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to hand Little Rock the 5-4 loss at Riddle-Pace Field. It was the lone lead Troy held in the game as Little Rock falls to 11-12 on the year and 1-6 in Sun Belt play.
Little Rock struck first in the top of the first inning, loading the bases off a fielding error, a single from
Nathan Lyons and a 10-pitch walk to
Noah Dickerson, getting the first run across off an RBI ground out from
Canyon McWilliams.
Miguel Soto then had an infield single to short, enough to bring Lyons home and make it 2-0, but the Trojans left the bases loaded.
Troy responded with a solo home run in the home half of the first, but Little Rock got the run back in the third, beginning with a leadoff single from
Tyler Williams, advancing to second on his 11th stolen base of the season. A walk and a steal for
Miguel Soto put runners in scoring position for
Aidan Garrett, who brought Williams home after beating out a bunt to extend the lead to 3-1.
Little Rock appeared to have a fourth run on a double steal attempt, but a batter interference negated the run as the Trojans left runners at the corners in the third.
Hayden Arnold found his groove and retired 10-straight Troy batters, getting through the fifth inning throwing just 68 pitches and striking out three. Troy led off the sixth with a single, followed by a two-run home run two pitches later, tying the game at 3-3. But Arnold would then strike out three-straight, ending the threat.
Little Rock responded in the top of the seventh with a one out triple by Williams to the gap in left center, and he would get the final 90 feet on a Troy wild pitch, beating the relay home to give Little Rock the lead once again at 4-3.
The Alabama Trojans would get the equalizer in the home half of the seventh, getting runners at first and second off reliever
Sawyer Smallwood. It looked as if Little Rock would have an inning-ending double play, but the relay throw on the second out went wide at first, bringing the tying run home and knotting it up at 4-4 after seven.
Little Rock was unable to get a runner in scoring position in the eighth or ninth, and Troy took advantage in the bottom of the ninth, getting runners on the corners with one out, then hitting the game-winning single to center to take its first lead of the game and get the walk-off 5-4 win.
The Trojans' night was led by a 2-for-4 performance from Williams, scoring two of Little Rock's four runs. McWilliams, Soto and Garrett had the RBI on the night for Little Rock as Figueroa added a double, one of two extra base hits on the night.
Arnold earned the no decision on the mound for Little Rock, going 6.0 innings and allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Smallwood was efficient out of the bullpen, going 2.1 innings, but was tagged with the loss after allowing the game-winning run to reach base in the bottom of the ninth.
Little Rock will look to bounce back in game two of the series, scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon with
Erik McKnight slated to get the start.
#LittleRocksTeam
