Trojans Drop First Game of Tennessee Tech Series

Little Rock led Tennessee Tech 2-0 after one inning and held that lead until the 7th inning. However, the Trojans couldn't hang on as they surrendered five runs in the bottom of the seventh dropping a 5-2 decision.
 
"In a Friday night game, you have good arms going against each other and a team in Tennessee Tech that is off to a great start," Little Rock head coach Chris Curry said. "They're a great club. Those games come down to two or three plays. We didn't make the plays in the seventh inning."

The two teams battle again at 4 p.m., Saturday at Gary Hogan Field.

Friday night, Trojans ace Jackson Wells (0-3) went 6.2 innings and nearly got out of the seventh inning inning when third baseman Sammy Harris fielded a hot shot and stepped on the bag and threw over to first baseman Ryan Geck, but the ball skipped out of Geck's glove. 

A run scored on the play, and then a run scored on a balk with two outs. After a Wells walk, Malcolm Brown was inserted into the game and Mack Whitcomb slammed a three-run double to cap the scoring. The ball hit Jayce Blalock's glove in right field, but he couldn't make the play.

Wells scattered six hits and struck out six and walked five. Wells had little trouble until the seventh. 

"I thought Jackson pitched well again, that's two quality starts in a row," Curry said. "We got a ground ball and all we have to do Is get it to first base, and we get out of the inning up 2-0. They get a run, and we have a tip off our glove. It wasn't a lack of effort. You feel like if it hits off your glove you should catch it, and they cashed in after that."
 
The Trojans (9-13) totaled seven hits and Harris led the way going 3-for-4. Ty Rhoades' RBI single in the first inning gave the Trojans the lead. He scored later in the frame when he ran home when Cooper Chaplain was caught stealing. 

"We scored two runs in the first inning, but we didn't score again," Curry said. "We have to do a better job of that."
Jaxon Pease (4-1) picked up the win for the Golden Eagles (16-7). He gave up six hits in six innings.