Back and Forth Contest Ends with Little Rock on Top

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Five lead changes occurred in the first 3.5 innings of play, but Little Rock eventually settled in and pulled away in high scoring affair Saturday afternoon, beating the Screaming Eagles by a final of 14-10. The win improves the Trojans record to 27-17 on the season to go along with a 12-5 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play.
 
The offense started off hot as the first four Trojans reached base, three reaching via hit, and RBI singles up the middle from Nico Baumbach, Luke Pectol and Ty Rhoades gave Little Rock a quick 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning ended.
 
Southern Indiana would battle back to take the lead for themselves in the bottom of the frame, with runs scoring on a two RBI single, fielder's choice and a double. Little Rock was able to cut down a fifth run at the plate on a double cut relay from Pectol to Alex Seguine to Jake Wright at the dish.
 
Little Rock struck for another trio of runs in the top of the second for a third lead change and did it all with two outs. Seguine came home on a sac fly off the bat of Skyler Trevino before Christian Bernabe went the other way with a single to right, plating Baumbach and Pectol to put the Trojans on top 6-3.
 
Tyler Williams gave the Trojans another two out RBI with a single through the six hole that brought Wright home and the Little Rock lead was stretched out to four.
 
The first three USI batters reached base to load them up to begin the bottom of the third which caused the Trojans to go to the bullpen for Jacob Weatherley. Five runs would cross the plate in the inning in a variety of different ways for the Screaming Eagles last lead of the day.
 
Three hits and a pair of USI errors led to four Trojan runs and the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning as Rhoades picked up an RBI on a groundout and Seguine an RBI on a single that scored Wright before the inning was finally ended and Little Rock led 11-9.
 
Weatherely then went on a streak that lasted the next five innings where he did not allow a Southern Indiana batter to reach base, retiring 17 in a row with some help from the defense as he struck out just two batters.
 
Jaxson Anderson and Wright each singled to begin the sixth before a sac bunt by Seguine moved them into scoring position. The next batter, Williams sent a double down the right field line that scored them both to put Little Rock back up by four.
 
The Trojans final run of the day came in the top of the eighth when Nico Baumbach hit a single up the middle that scored Williams from third, his fourth hit of the afternoon.
 
The consecutive batters retired streak finally ended in the bottom of the ninth with a leadoff walk drawn by USI. Southern Indiana would go on to score one run on a fielder's choice, but a fly out and 5-3 ground ball ended the game without any more runners getting on base. Weatherley had retired 20 of the final 22 Screaming Eagles hitters to earn the win and clinch the series for Little Rock.
 
At least one Trojan batter reached in each of the nine frames and Little Rock scored in two thirds of its turns at bat, plating runners in six out of the nine innings.
 
Six Little Rock hitters went for multiple hits on the day with three collecting three or more hits, however only three of today's 19 hits went for extra bases as Williams doubled twice and Baumbach once.
 
Wright scored three times today in a 1-for-5 game that also saw him steal two bases, bringing his season total to 11 which is second best on the team.
 
Baumbach and Bernabe each collected four hits as both went 4-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs, Baumbach scored twice while Bernabe crossed the plate once.
 
Williams went 3-for-5 on the day with a pair of doubles and three runs driven in, he also scored twice and made several impressive grabs out in center.
 
Seguine was a constant presence on the basepaths as he went 2-for-3 and walked twice, scoring two times, and driving in a run for Little Rock.
 
Weatherley earned his third win on the year in seven innings of relief where he scattered three hits and struck out two, at one point retiring 17 batters in a row.
 
The Trojans have an opportunity for a road sweep tomorrow at noon in the series finale. Camden Sargent will get the ball to start, and he will be facing off against Blake Ciuffetelli for Southern Indiana.
 
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.
 
Get the latest Trojan news – including the weekly Trojan Report – delivered to you direct to your inbox by signing up for Little Rock Trojan E-News here.
 
#LittleRocksTeam