Trojans Sweep Opening-Day Doubleheader form Evansville

In one of the more memorable opening days in school history, Little Rock swept Evansville Friday, 5-4 and 5-1, at Gary Hogan Field. The two teams were forced to play a twin bill because of looming inclement weather on Saturday. The Trojans needed three runs in their final at-bat in Game 1 to win in the bottom of the ninth inning and cruised in the second game after taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning. 
 
Evansville begins the season highly regarded after nearly upsetting eventual College World Series winner Tennessee in the Super Regional last summer.  
 
"Any time you start 2-0, you are happy," Little Rock head coach Chris Curry said. "I don't know when was the last time that happened, but that is a great start. You are playing a team that went to the super regional, and I have a lot of respect for. They are a really good club. The key to both game is we were able to get to their bullpen."
 
The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at Gary Hogan Field. 
 
Game 1: Little Rock 5, Evansville 4
Evansville took a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning and added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to lead 4-2 as the Trojans readied for their final at-bat. 
 
After walking Trojan hitter Trey Hill and striking out Reed Willbanks to begin the frame, Aces pitcher Drew Fieger walked Zach Henry and Alex Seguine to load the bases. He was then pulled from the game in favor of Kellen Roberts. 
 
Junior college transfer Cooper Chaplain promptly greeted Roberts with a deep drive that was misplayed by the centerfielder, scoring Hill. Another junior college transfer, Ryan Geck, banged out his fourth hit of the day to score Henry and tied the game at four. The four hits marked the most by a Trojan on opening day since 2011. 
 
After Roberts induced a ground-ball out, Chaplain moved over to third base and scored on an ensuing Roberts wild pitch ending the game. 
 
The Trojans took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Aiden McGinnis grounded out into a double play. 
 
Evansville tied the game in the top of the third, and the 1-1 score held up until the bottom of the seventh when Seguine's double-play ground out drove in Willbanks. 
 
Trojans ace Jackson Wells pitched five strong innings giving up two hits while walking three and striking out six. Zach Busick came on in relief and gave up three hits in 2.1 innings. 
Hunter Royal took the win pitching the final 1.2 innings and gave up one hit and with two strikeouts.
 
Game 2: Little Rock 5, Evansville 1
Evansville pitcher Kenton Deverman, who has received preseason All-American honors, held Little Rock early, but Henry, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI, finally got to him. He smashed a two-run homer in the fifth inning which gave Little Rock a 2-0 lead, which they never relinquished. 
 
Deverman took the loss giving up five hits and two runs with six strikeouts in seven innings. 
 
The Trojans added three insurance runs in the eighth inning off of Parker MacCauley and Jacob Jarvis. Seguine, who was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and McGinnis both scored runs on groundouts and another was plated on a wild pitch. 
 
Brody Bunting took the win for Little Rock giving up just one hit and walked one while striking out four. Blake Van Cleve pitched the final four innings yielding two hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.