LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Both starting pitchers went the distance, but in the end, UALR (12-14, 1-6) claimed a 3-2 victory over ULM (10-16, 1-6) Friday night at Gary Hogan Field.
ULM starter Cale Wine logged his fourth complete game of the season and he is now tied for the national lead. Wine (3-4) surrendered three runs on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts during his 114-pitch outing.
UALR starter Chance Cleveland recorded his second complete game of the season after surrendering two runs on five hits with four walks and nine punchouts over the course of his nine innings of work.
Ben Crumpton led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle and stole second to give the Trojans a runner in scoring position with Austin Pfeiffer standing in the batter's box. Pfieffer singled to left and advanced to second on the throw to give the Trojans a pair of base runners in scoring position. Blake Johnson drove in Crumpton with a sacrifice fly to right field to give the homestanding Trojans a 1-0 advantage. The UALR first came to a close as Myles Parma grounded out into a double play as Pfieffer was tagged out at home trying to score the second run of the inning.
ULM threatened in the top of the second as it loaded the bases with just one out. Dalton Herrington drew a walk, Judd Edwards singled through the right side and Corben Green was hit by a pitch; but the Warhawks were unable to push any runs across as Taylor Abdalla grounded into an inning ending double play.
In the top of the fourth, Chris Dudley led off the inning with a double to left, but a fly out, strikeout and fielder's choice ended the Warhawk fourth.
In the home half of the fifth, Kaleb Jobe ended Wine's streak of 12 consecutive retired batters with a single through the right side. John Clark followed with a single through the right side and Sam Vogel drew a walk on four pitches to load the bases. A tremendous play by Judd Edwards at third resulted in a force out at home and Wine recorded a strikeout to end the UALR threat in the fifth.
In the seventh, Kodie Tidwell tried to move Brandon Alexander to second with a sacrifice bunt but Alexander was forced out at second for the first out of the inning. Tidwell swiped second and moved to third on a wild pitch as he moved just 90 feet from home plate. After Logan Fiasco went down on strikes, Justin Stawychny grabbed a bat as served as pinch hitter for Trent Lucas. Stawychny, on a 2-0 count, gave the Warhawks a 2-1 lead with a two-run blast over the wall in left field. Stawychny's home run was the first pinch hit homer for the Warhawks since A.J. Siggers accomplished the feat at Arkansas State on May 13, 2007.
Bryson Thionnet and Ben Crumpton collected back-to-back singles to lead off the eighth inning. Austin Pfeiffer followed with a bunt single to load the bases with no outs in the Trojan eighth. Thionnet evened the game at 2-2 as he scored on Myles Parma's fielder's choice to second. ULM was unable to turn the double play on Parma's slow roller allowing the inning to continue. Crumpton scored what proved to be the game-winning run as he crossed home plate after Parma stole second. Fiasco's throw from behind the plate was supposed to be cutoff by Wine, it wound up at second in the glove of Edwards at second allowing Crumpton to race home.
In the ninth, Alexander drew a lead off walk and moved to second on Tidwell's sacrifice bunt. Alexander moved to third and was held at third on pinch hitter Chet Simoneaux's single through the left side as Myles Parma came up throwing. Simoneaux rounded first base but was tagged out at second on a bang-bang play (7-2-6). Ryan Bergeron lined out to third to end the contest Friday night.
ULM and UALR will return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon with first pitch slated for 4 p.m.
Alex Dumaine (Jr., LHP) is the scheduled starter for ULM and he owns a 1-2 record with a 3.15 ERA. The Trojans will counter with Blake Huffman and the senior right-hander is 2-1 on the season with a 2.52 ERA.
