EVANSVILLE, Ind. –
Jackson Wells pitched six scoreless innings on more than 100 pitches as Little Rock hung on for a 2-1 win over Southern Indiana Friday night at the USI Baseball Field.
Blake Van Cleve picked up the save for Little Rock but did give up a bloop single RBI in the bottom of the ninth and allowed two runners on base with two outs. However, he shut the door with a strikeout to end the game.
The win was the Trojans' (10-16, 1-3 OVC) first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season. The victory also marked the first of the season for the Trojans' ace Wells, who has pitched well of late but lacked run support.
The Trojans seek their second straight victory Saturday at 11 a.m. when they meet the Screaming Eagles. The game time was moved up with rain in the forecast tomorrow afternoon.
Friday night, Wells gave up five hits, struck out four and walked two in six innings. He threw 106 pitches in the outing. Van Cleve struck out four in three innings and gave up two hits and walked one.
Little Rock totaled seven hits and stranded 12 runners, but the two manufactured in the fourth inning proved to be the difference.
Sammy Harris and
Ryan Geck started the inning with back-to-back singles.
Ty Rhoades walked to load the bases, but USI pitcher Andres Gonzalez struck out
Jayce Blalock.
However, he then hit
Alex Seguine hard on the top of the helmet scoring Harris. Then he walked
Jackson Rains scoring Geck. Gonzalez got out of the inning, but that pair of runs was all the Trojans needed.
Geck was 2-for-3 with two walks and Harris was 2-for-5. Rains was on base three times with a hit and two walks.
Gonzalez took the loss for USI (10-15, 2-2 OVC). He gave up four hits, struck out four and walked two in four innings of work.
