Stephen F. Austin
UTSA
Lumberjacks Fall 4-2 to UTSA
5/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 23, 2007
NATCHITOCHES, La. - Thunderstorms in the northwest Louisiana area forced the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (30-27) and Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (35-20) into a three-hour rain delay after just 55 minutes of play in the first round of the Southland Conference tournament. The Roadrunners had a 2-0 lead going into the delay and the Lumberjacks were able to tie the score at two, but UTSA scored two more runs for a final score of 4-2.
Because of the loss in the double elimination tournament, the Lumberjacks will face the loser of the McNeese State/Lamar game Thursday morning at 11 a.m. from Brown-Stroud Field on the Northwestern State campus in Natchitoches, La.
In a tough first inning for Lumberjack starter Jared Schrom, UTSA's Trent Lockwood hit a two-run home run to take the early 2-0 lead before the game was called in the fourth inning.
In SFA's first at-bat after the delay, Jared Pitts led off with a single to left field. With two outs, Jeff Brewer reached on a walk, moving Pitts to second. Then a wild pitch from Roadrunners' Josh Ruffin moved the runners to second and third. UTSA catcher Zach Etheredge threw the ball to third base in an attempt to catch Pitts, but a throwing error allowed Pitts to score SFA's first run of the game.
Then in the sixth inning, the Lumberjacks knotted the score. Noel Trevino started things off with an infield single to shortstop. He moved to second when Chris Smith put a base hit in left field. After Jared Pitts was issued a walk to load the bases, Kevin Crabtree received the second consecutive bases on balls to score Trevino for the RBI and to tie the score at two.
But two late runs in the seventh inning put UTSA ahead 4-2 and the Lumberjacks were unable to score in their final two at-bats.
Trevino was the only Lumberjack to record two hits as Zach Gardner, Smith, Pitts and Crabtree all had one hit to make up SFA's six. Smith extended his hitting streak to 12 games, a career high for the third baseman.
Lumberjack reliever Heath Konescheck received his sixth loss of the season after giving up two runs off three hits in three innings of work. He struck out two as he relieved Schrom when play resumed.
-SFA-
