Stephen F. Austin
UTSA
UTSA Steals Series From SFA
4/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 10, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Lumberjacks committed four errors and left 11 runners on base on Sunday as UTSA pulled off a 7-4 win over SFA at Jaycees Field, giving UTSA a series win over the `Jacks for the first time since 2008.
SFA (22-11, 10-5 SLC) still stands just a game out of first place in the SLC race, but hurt its chances of moving into a tie for the top spot by leaving nine runners on base in the first four innings on Sunday. Meanwhile, the `Runners (13-21, 6-9 SLC ) have now won five of their last six league games after starting off just 1-8 in SLC play.
Zack Taylor took the loss for SFA after getting off to a strong start, but he was hurt by a pair of errors in the second and fourth innings, and eventually chased in the fifth after allowing four runs on the day.
UTSA's Jordan Langley evened his record at 3-3 on the year after allowing just three hits in six scoreless innings, striking out just one and working around three walks and a pair of hit batters. Kevin Clarke earned his second save of the season, allowing just one hit in the final two innings and quelling an SFA rally in the eighth before retiring the side in order in the ninth.
Bryson Myles, Jarid Scarafiotti and Max Lamantia each had two singles apiece for SFA offensively, but the `Jacks did not have an extra-base hit on the day and was just 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
A two-out SFA error plated the first run of the day for UTSA in the second inning as the `Runners took advantage of a leadoff single from Casey Selsor to stake itself to a 1-0 advantage. Two innings later UTSA added three more, using an SFA miscue in left field to aid the rally and push the lead to 4-0 through four frames.
On the other side, SFA gave itself numerous chances to put runs on the board in each of the first four innings, but left two runners on in the first and then proceeded to leave the bases loaded in both the third and fourth.
UTSA added onto its lead in the seventh when a dropped fly ball in right field led to two more two-out runs. Those proved to be crucial runs as the `Jacks finally got some offense going in the seventh and eighth, getting an RBI groundout from Jackson Hood in the seventh and then nearly coming all the way back against the UTSA pen in the eighth.
A leadoff single from Lamantia and a UTSA throwing error put runners on the corners with nobody out, before Jordan Lewis and Myles delivered consecutive RBI singles to cut the lead to 6-3; but, Clarke put an end to the threat by getting Garrett Smith to ground into a run-scoring double play and then got Scarafiotti to pop out to shallow left to keep the `Runners out in front, 6-4.
A pair of seeing-eye hits got an insurance run across in the top of the ninth for UTSA, but it was not necessary as Clarke had no issue navigating through the ninth to secure the win.
The Lumberjacks are on the road on Tuesday for a matinee game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff before staying on the road for a weekend league series at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
-SFA-
