Stephen F. Austin
Louisiana-Monroe
Lumberjacks Rally Past Warhawks, 8-7
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Stephen F. Austin 8, Louisiana-Monroe 7
Warhawk Field • Monroe, La.
Records: SFA (2-6), ULM (3-3)
Up Next: vs. Arkansas-Little Rock • Tuesday, Feb. 24 • 6:30 p.m.
MONROE, La. – Trailing 5-2 after five innings, Stephen F. Austin scored six runs over the final four innings, then shut the door on a late Louisiana-Monroe rally to defeat the Warhawks 8-7 at Warhawk Field. The win snaps a six-game losing skid for the Lumberjacks who improve to 2-6 on the season.
SFA struck first for the second-straight game as Nick Ramos ripped a single to center with two outs, scoring Will Vest from third and Matthew Dickey from second as the ‘Jacks took an early 2-0 in the top of the third inning. The Warhawks would respond with three runs in the bottom of the inning, taking the 3-2 lead after three.
ULM added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth off a two-RBI double, giving the Warhawks a 5-2 advantage.
In the top of the sixth, SFA would load the bases with no outs, then tie the game off an RBI ground out to second by Dan O’Neill, scoring Dickey from third. Cameron Salvaggio then struck out but reached first on a passed ball, allowing Conner Fikes to score in the process as the ‘Jacks pulled to within one at 5-4. Kyle Thornell then recorded an RBI on a ground out to first, plating Ramos as SFA tied the game at 5-5 after the top of the sixth.
The ‘Jacks tacked on three more runs in the top of the eighth inning as Thronell ripped a two RBI double down the right field line, scoring Hunter Wilson and Garrett McMullen as SFA reclaimed the lead. Pinch hitter Eric DeJesus then notched a single up the middle, scoring Thornell from second as SFA was in control with an 8-5 lead after eight and a half innings.
ULM mounted a rally in the bottom of the eighth, using a double and a Lumberjack throwing error to bring two runs across and cut the deficit to 8-7. The Warhawks then had the tying run 90 feet away in the bottom of the ninth, but the ‘Jacks threw him out at home in a steal attempt, ending the game as well as SFA’s six-game losing skid.
Dickey and Wilson each recorded a pair of hits on the day for the ‘Jacks, who finished with a season-high 11. Thornell recorded a season-high three RBIs on the day with Ramos adding a pair and DeJesus recording his first RBI as a Lumberjack.
SFA starter Eric Polivka went 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and four strikeouts to earn the no decision. Grant Page earned his first win in an SFA uniform, pitching 3.0 innings and allowing no runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Tyler Wiedenfeld earned the four-out save, his second of the season, allowing one hit on the day.
The victory wraps up SFA’s four game road swing as the Lumberjacks return home for a Tuesday night game against Arkansas-Little Rock. First pitch against the Trojans is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Jaycees Field.
-SFA-
