LITTLE ROCK – Hayden Arnold posted a season-high in strikeouts, becoming the program's all-time strikeout leader, and Little Rock held off a late ULM rally to earn a 4-3 win Friday evening at Gary Hogan Field. The win improves the Trojans to 18-19 on the year and 7-11 in Sun Belt play, leapfrogging the Warhawks in the league standings.
Entering the game at 283 career strikeouts, Arnold needed eight to surpass Bennett Cromer's 290 career Ks from 2002-05. He set the tone early, striking out the side in the first before adding a pair in the second and one each in the third and fourth innings, pulling even with Cromer at 290.
After a leadoff single to start the fifth, Arnold got Carson Jones swinging on a 1-2 count, moving into sole possession of first in program history.
Arnold helped hold ULM in check allowing just one run in the second off a leadoff double and an RBI single. He would add another strikeout to end the inning in the sixth, the third inning of the night that ended with a K. He would leave the game after allowing a leadoff triple in the seventh, earning the no decision when that run came around to score and giving him a season-high nine strikeouts.
After falling behind 1-0 in the second, Little Rock's offense finally broke through in the fifth, beginning with a leadoff single from
Miguel Soto, who advanced to second on a
Jorden Hussein sacrifice bunt.
Eldrige Figueroa then doubled down the left field line, bringing Soto around to tie the game at 1-1.
Little Rock took its first lead of the game in the sixth behind
Noah Dickerson being hit by a pitch and a single from
Canyon McWilliams. A sacrifice bunt from
Nathan Lyons advanced the duo 90 feet, bringing Dickerson home off a wild pitch with two outs to give the Trojans the 2-1 lead.
ULM answered with one run in the seventh, registering an RBI single to bring the leadoff runner home off the triple.
Sawyer Smallwood faced a challenge with runners at first and second and nobody out, inducing a fly ball to allow both runners to advance. But a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning helped the Trojans escape with the game knotted at 2-2.
Little Rock answered in the home half of the seventh, beginning with a leadoff double from Soto and a single from Hussein, advancing to second on the throw. Figueroa then picked up his second RBI of the day with a single through the left side to score Soto, followed by an RBI single up the middle from
Tyler Williams to push the lead to 4-3.
ULM would answer back with a solo home run in the top of the eighth that bounced off the top of the left field wall, narrowing the gap to 4-3. The Warhawks would threaten again in the ninth, using a one out walk and a fielding error to put runners on second and third off a ground out with two outs. But
Jacob Weatherley got the final Warhawk batter looking to preserve the 4-3 Trojan victory.
Figueroa paced the Trojans going 3-for-4 on the day with a double and a pair of RBI. McWilliams and Soto each had a pair of hits as well as Soto scored twice and the duo each tallied a double on the night.
Smallwood earned the victory for the Trojans after going 1.1 innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits.
Chance Vaught pitched 1.0 innings and didn't give up a hit while Weatherley pitched the final 0.2 innings and held the Warhawks hitless to pick up his second save of the season.
Game two of the weekend series is slated for a 4 p.m. first pitch Saturday at Gary Hogan Field with
Hoss Brewer expected to get the start. With possible rain in the forecast, fans are encouraged to stay tuned to
@LRTrojansBSB on Twitter as well as LRTrojans.com for any schedule updates.
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