Trojans Come Out on Top in Sunday Slugfest

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – What began as a game that appeared to be a blowout tightened up as the afternoon went on despite Little Rock leading the entire way and eventually coming out on top 13-11 on Sunday to complete the sweep of SIUE. The win improves the Trojans record to 23-14 on the season and 10-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play as Little Rock now looks ahead to a pair of midweek games against in-state opponents.
 
After an uneventful top of the first inning, the Little Rock offense got out to a hot start in its first at bats of the game. Alex Seguine started things off with a single through the left side before a walk to Ty Rhoades and a double by Nico Baumbach brought home the game's first run. A balk and throwing error scored two more before an RBI single from Christian Bernabe finished off the scoring as Little Rock led 4-0 after the first frame.
 
SIUE would cut the lead in half with a pair of runs in the top of the second prior to the Trojans having their biggest inning of the day in the bottom of the third. Rhoades started things off with a walk and then Baumbach and Skyler Trevino homered on back to back pitches to push the lead out to five runs. Two more Trojans found their way on base when Jake Wright stepped up to the plate and sent the third Little Rock homerun of the inning over the left field wall. This put the Trojans up by eight at 10-2, striking for six runs in the bottom of the third alone.
 
Little Rock kept the pressure up, loading the bases in the bottom of the fourth with no one out. A single by Bernabe plated a pair of runs, scoring Baumbach and Rhoades, before a bases loaded walk drawn by Wright scored Trevino from third. This would be the final Little Rock run of the game and the Trojans would now be tasked with denying a comeback by the Cougars.
 
SIUE struck for five runs in the top of the fifth inning, four of which came on a grand slam by Kye Ratliff before bringing home another two in the top of the six as the game became much closer than it had been just two innings prior, now standing at 13-9 in Little Rock's favor.
 
The Cougars scored another run in the top of the eighth on a two out RBI single to draw within striking distance. A single to center began the top of the ninth and SIUE would eventually score a run and bring the go ahead run to the plate with two outs. However, an innocent pop fly in foul territory ended the game as Little Rock successfully fended off a furious comeback attempt by the Cougars.
 
More than half of the Little Rock starting lineup collected multiple hits on the afternoon as five players had two or more hits.
 
Baumbach led the way in a 2-for-4 performance that saw him score three times and drive in three runs. The Euless, Texas native also hit his 10th homerun of the season, coming in the form of a two run blast in the bottom of the third, his other hit being a double down the left field line.
 
Wright went 2-for-3 in the game and drove in a team high four runs, three of which came on his homer, and scored once. He also stole his eighth bag on the year and threw out a would be base stealer.
 
Trevino hit his team leading 11^th homerun in a 1-for-4 game and also scored twice.
 
Bernabe collected a career high three RBI and also scored once in a 2-for-4 performance where he also reached via base on balls once.
 
Luke Pectol led the team in hits on the afternoon with three in a 3-for-4 game and managed to make it all the way home to score once.
 
Austin Stubber served in the stopper role and helped to halt the SIUE comeback through the later innings, pitching three full and striking out three, allowing four hits and just one run.
 
Jacob Weatherley earned his third save of the year for closing things out in the ninth.
 
Little Rock will return to action on Tuesday in the second game of three in the Governor's I-40 Showdown against Central Arkansas. This time around the Trojans will travel up to Conway to play before returning home and taking on former Sun Belt opponent and in-state foe Arkansas State on Wednesday at Gary Hogan Field.
 
For the latest information on Little Rock Baseball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockBSB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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