LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock kept swinging Friday night, piling up 19 hits and answering early adversity with one of its best offensive stretches of the weekend before Southeast Missouri escaped Gary Hogan Field with a 12-10 win.
"I love the way we are battling," Little Rock head coach Chris Curry said. "Obviously, frustrated things didn't go our way the past two nights. "I told the compete mode and fight mode we are going need in the [OVC Tournament] is there. The last inning got away from a defensive and pitching standpoint, but didn't quit or give in. They're still fighting."
Angel Cano and Nolan Freund both homered, while Freund, Kade Smith, Nico Baumbach and Ty Rhoades each finished with three hits as the Trojans' lineup produced runs in five different innings.
After SEMO jumped ahead 6-1 through two innings, Little Rock came charging back. Cano started the response with a solo home run in the first, and Trey Hill followed with a two-run double in the second to pull the Trojans within 6-3.
The biggest surge came in the third. Cano doubled and later scored, Freund ripped an RBI double, Rhoades added an RBI single and Baumbach followed with another run-scoring single to give Little Rock a 7-6 lead.
SEMO moved back in front 8-7 in the fifth, but the Trojans answered again. Freund and Baumbach scored on Cooper Chaplain's two-run infield single, putting Little Rock back ahead 9-8.
The Redhawks used a four-run ninth to take the lead. Freund answered with his eighth home run of the season in the bottom half, but the rally stopped there.
Freund led the Trojans by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, a home run and two RBI. Baumbach was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, Smith went 3-for-5, and Rhoades added three hits and two runs. Cano finished with a double, home run, two runs and an RBI.
Little Rock closes the regular season Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gary Hogan Field. Trojan seniors will be honored on the field at 12:30 p.m.
"We are really looking forward to tomorrow and sending out seniors out with a win in their final game at Gary Hogan and get ready for the OVC Tournament," Curry said. "
