LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock Trojans scored two runs to take the lead back in the bottom of the seventh and held off chances for ULM in the eighth and ninth innings to take the series opener, 4-3, Friday night at Gary Hogan Field.
ULM struggled to get much going against Little Rock starter and reigning Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year Hayden Arnold. In the second inning,
Grant Schulz led off with a double and came home to score on
Travis Washburn's RBI single to center field for the 1-0 lead.
The score held to the bottom of the fifth inning. Little Rock evened the score as Miguel Soto scored on Eldrige Figueroa's RBI double to left, making it 1-1.
The Trojans took their first lead in the sixth inning as a wild pitch by
Lucas Wepf with two outs allowed Noah Dickerson to score for the 2-1 lead.
ULM tied the game in the top of the seventh. Washburn led off with a triple to chase Arnold from the game before
Carson Jones picked up an RBI single to knot the game at 2.
Little Rock regained the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh, picking up four consecutive hits to open the inning. Figueroa had his second RBI hit of the night, this time a single, to score Soto for the 3-2 edge. Tyler Williams doubled the lead with an RBI single to plate Jorden Hussein for the 4-2 advantage.
The Warhawks cut the gap to one in the eighth inning when
Grant Schulz hit a solo home run to left with one out. ULM put
Colby Deaville on base behind Schulz, but he was left at first base.
In the top of the ninth,
Matthew Lee walked and
Trace Henry reached on an error with one out.
Ryan Cupit's ground ball moved Lee to third base and Henry to second. However,
Mason Holt struck out looking to end the game.
Reliever Sawyer Smallwood (5-3) picked up the win for Little Rock, allowing a run on three hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. Jacob Weatherly recorded the final two outs, including one strikeout, to pick up his second save. Arnold threw six innings in the start, allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and matched a season-high with nine strikeouts. He became Little Rock's all-time leader in strikeouts with his eighth strikeout of the night.
Lucas Wepf (1-4) suffered the loss in relief, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings.
Cam Barlow took a no-decision, giving up two runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Figueroa paced Little Rock's offense with three hits and two RBIs, while Soto and Canyon McWilliams had two hits each. Schulz, Washburn and
Michelle Artzberger had two hits each for ULM.
The Warhawks and Trojans continue the series at 4 p.m. Saturday at Gary Hogan Field.
