Trojans Win at Dickey-Stephens to Sweep Season Series Against Central Arkansas

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock Baseball clinched the Governor's I-40 Showdown for the university with an 8-3 victory over UCA in a season series finale. The win improves the Trojans record to 30-19 and this is the first time in 20 years, since 2003, that a Little Rock baseball team has accomplished this win total.
 
After quickly going down 2-0 following the top of the first inning, the Trojans answered immediately and scored a pair of runs to draw even in the bottom of the inning. The first four Little Rock hitters reached with hits as Alex Seguine began the game with a single before Tyler Williams brought him home on a single to right. Though the bases were emptied with a successful pickoff Luke Pectol got things going again when he doubled down the right field line. Nico Baumbach singled through the right side and advanced on the throw to put two in scoring position with one out before a sac fly from Skyler Trevino scored Pectol from third, tying the game at 2-2.
 
The Trojans took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning. Seguine singled and Pectol doubled again, this time down the left field line, to score Seguine prior to another Baumbach single that scored Pectol from second.
 
Neither team would score again until the fifth, Pectol started things off with a single up the middle and then Baumbach scorched a line drive that cleared the outfielder's head and caromed off the deep center field wall, resulting in an RBI triple to bring the score to 5-2.
 
The Bears showed signs of life in the eighth when the first three hitters of the inning reached base via hit, a double, single and single put runners on first and second and scored a run with no one out. Erik McKnight entered the game out of the pen and stuck out the next two batters before Jake Wright threw a strike to third to catch an attempted base stealer for the final out of the inning, escaping the jam.
 
Little Rock answered back yet again in the bottom of the frame as Ben Harmon laced a triple to deep left-center to lead off the inning. Seguine worked a walk and Williams sent a triple to the same spot as Harmon to bring home two runs and put the Trojans up four. Williams would later score on a fielder's choice that pushed the lead to five.
 
UCA would threaten once more in the ninth, loading the bases with just one out. Fortunately, a chopper to third led to a 5-4-3 game ending double play that accomplished many feats including a 30 win season, a season sweep of the Bears, and an overall win for the university in the Governor's I-40 Showdown.
 
Three different Trojans tripled in tonight's game with two going to left center and one that took a hard bounce off the center field wall. Harmon and Baumbach got their first while Williams hit his team leading seventh.
 
The top of the Little Rock batting order did damage tonight as the first four hitters went 10-17 with six RBI and seven runs scored.
 
Pectol was a catalyst for the offense in a 3-for-5 game, doubling twice and driving in two runs while scoring three times.
 
Seguine didn't get out in any of his five plate appearances, going 2-for-2 and walking three times while crossing the plate on three different occasions.
 
Malcolm Brown earned the win for his efforts out of the bullpen. The freshman righthander pitched three innings and scattered five hits, allowing one run while striking out two.
 
McKnight earned the first save of his career, closing out the game by pitching the final two innings, didn't allow a hit or run and struck out three.
 
Noah Burkey was solid in his start, throwing four innings and scattering three hits while allowing just two runs.
 
The Trojans will now turn their attention to Morehead State in the final series of the regular season with an opportunity to finish at the top of the Ohio valley Conference. The games will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Morehead, Kentucky.
 
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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