Ninth Inning Rally Not Enough as Trojans Fall to New Orleans

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Trojans were able to push three runs across in the bottom of the ninth and brought the tying run to the on deck circle but were ultimately defeated by New Orleans by a score of 7-4 on Friday night. The loss drops Little Rock's record to 24-15 on the year and snaps a 10 game win streak for the Trojans at Gary Hogan Field.
 
New Orleans took the early lead, striking for three runs in the top of the third inning on an RBI single up the middle followed by a two run homerun to left-center field.
 
Little Rock was able to get a run back in the fourth inning, Nico Baumbach stood on first base with two outs after singling earlier in the inning when Luke Pectol hit a deep fly ball into right field that hit off of the padding as he scrambled his way around the bases for a triple. The run cut the lead to two midway through the game.
 
Sophomore Jackson Wells would strike out the side in the fifth as well as the first batter in the sixth to make it four straight and finished his outing with a popup to end the sixth inning.
 
Neither offense would score again until the top of the ninth when New Orleans was able to push four runs across, all with two outs. A failed safety squeeze bunt attempt left runners on first and second with two outs in the inning. Unfortunately, a single, wild pitch and double would bring home four runs for the Privateers and stretched the lead out to six.
 
Noah Brewer and Jake Wright walked in the bottom of the ninth to put two on with two outs before Tyler Williams sent a single up the middle to score them both. After stealing second, Ty Rhoades hit a single through the right side which plated Williams and brought Baumbach up to the plate. In an 0-1 count, Baumbach sent a hard line drive the other way which required a diving catch on the foul line by the New Orleans right fielder to finally end the Trojans attack and the game.
 
Working on a limited pitch count, Wells was solid in his start going six innings and allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five and walking none.
 
Baumbach was the sole Trojans to collect multiple hits on the evening in a 2-for-5 game as he also scored the first Little Rock run. This was his 15^th multi-hit game of the season and the Euless, Texas native is currently on a 16 game hit streak.
The Trojans will be back in action tomorrow for game two against New Orleans, Noah Burkey is expected to make the start for the 6 p.m. first pitch.
 
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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