Jacks And Trojans To Resume Action On Saturday
2/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 18, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Lumberjack baseball team scored in each of the final six innings to tie up Arkansas-Little Rock, 7-7, in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Jaycees Field, but play was forced to be suspended due to darkness and will resume at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday going into the 10th inning.
SFA gave up six runs in the first three innings to the Trojans, but the Lumberjack bullpen allowed just two runs in eight innings of work to give the offense a chance to catch up. In all, the `Jacks racked out 13 hits on the day, including three apiece from newcomers Jackson Hood and Bryson Myles, but it was a one-out sacrifice fly in the ninth from Patrick Gratzke that drove in the tying run after SFA had loaded the bases with nobody out off of the Trojan bullpen.
The `Jacks put the leadoff runner on in six of the final seven innings on the day, but was never able to erupt for more than a single run in any of its seven scoring frames. All-conference lefty Tyler Herriage struggled from the beginning, allowing five runs on five hits with five walks in just over an inning of work before giving way to Brad Oates, who immediately stopped the early bleeding and went on to toss four innings of relief, giving up just one run with a pair of strikeouts.
UALR got five of their seven scores in the first two innings, with the `Jacks answering each time with RBI singles from Jarid Scarafiotti and Hood, who finished with three extra-base hits, including his first home run of the year in the sixth.
The `Jacks also had a pair of golden opportunities to take the lead in both the eighth and ninth innings, twice putting the go-ahead run in scoring position with less than two outs; however, each time the Trojans' defense managed to land a key double play to end both rallies before they went any further.
None was better than in the ninth when Bryson Myles beat out a liner to short to open up the inning and eventually made it to third with no outs on his third stolen base of the day and a Trojan throwing error. But after consecutive walks to Darren Crabtree and Scarafiotti loaded the bases with nobody out, reliever John Maler got Michael Haynes to ground into a fielder's choice before surrendering Gratzke's sacrifice fly to tie it up. UALR managed to get out of the inning on the play, though, as Scarafiotti was thrown out trying to advance to third after the tying run had scored.
Following the play, coaches from both sides agreed to suspend the contest and resume play beginning on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. entering extra frames.
-SFA-
