Stephen F. Austin
Central Arkansas
UCA Outlasts SFA 5-4 in 12 Innings
3/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Central Arkansas 5, Stephen F. Austin 4 (12 innings)
Jaycees Field • Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (4-10, 0-1 SLC); UCA (5-3, 1-0 SLC)
Up Next: vs. Central Arkansas (doubleheader) • Saturday, March 7 • 12 p.m.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin mounted a pair of rallies, but fell short on the final attempt as the Lumberjacks drop a 5-4 12-inning heartbreaker to Central Arkansas at Jaycees Field in both team's Southland Conference opener. SFA fell to 4-10 on the season and 0-1 in SLC play as UCA improved to 5-3 and 1-0 in conference action.
The Lumberjacks out-hit the Bears nine to eight on the night as both teams left 10 runners on base. Both teams registered an error on the night, coming at crucial points in the game.
Central Arkansas wasted little time in jumping out to the early lead as Nate Ferrell, UCA's third batter of the game, knocked a two-run homerun to right center, giving the Bears the early 2-0 lead on SFA starter Cameron Gann. Gann shook off the rough first inning, however, holding UCA scoreless over the next five innings, allowing just one hit.
After threatening in the first inning, SFA finally got on the board in the fifth following a leadoff single by Dan O'Neill and a walk by Garrett McMullen. Matthew Dickey grounded out to short with one out, but it was enough to score O'Neill from third to trim the lead to 2-1.
Central Arkansas added a run in the seventh, extending its lead to 3-1, and attempted to add another, but Lance Preston was gunned down at home following a strong throw from McMullen for the final out of the inning.
That set up a memorable seventh inning for the Lumberjacks as McMullen and Hunter Wilson knocked back-to-back homeruns with two outs, tying the game at 3-3 after seven. It was the second homerun of the year for McMullen and the first of Wilson's collegiate career.
The Lumberjacks had a chance to end the contest in regulation as Kyle Thornell drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, then advanced to second on a balk. O'Neill then knocked a deep fly ball to right field as Thornell advanced to third with one out. UCA then decided to take a gamble, intentionally walking McMullen and Wilson to load the bases with one out. Matthew Dickey had a chance to win it for SFA, knocking a sharp poke to left, which was snagged by a diving stop by the Bears' third baseman. A hesitation on the base path by Thornell bought enough time for UCA to throw him out at home, then McMullen was forced out at third to end the inning.
After a scoreless 10th, Central Arkansas reclaimed the lead in the 11th off an RBI single, only to see that run answered in the bottom half of the inning when a botched putout with two outs by the Bear first baseman allowed McMullen to score from third to tie the game. Wilson tried to win it for the `Jacks and score from second, but the freshman was thrown out at home to end the inning.
In the 12th, Central Arkansas led off the inning with a triple to left center, then scored on a sacrifice fly one batter later. SFA had one final chance on the bottom of the inning but was unable to get any runners on base, falling to the Bears in the season opener.
Dickey, O'Neill and McMullen each recorded a pair of hits for SFA with Wilson, Conner Fikes and Eric DeJesus accounting for the final three Lumberjack runs.
Gann earned the no decision after going 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts on 102 total pitches. Six other Lumberjack pitchers combined to allow two runs on four hits with four strikeouts as Jarred Greene was credited with the loss after allowing a run on two hits pitching the 11th and 12th innings.
SFA looks to bounce back and win the series against the Bears as the two will meet in a Saturday doubleheader. Game one gets underway at 12 p.m. at Jaycees Field with game two getting underway 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first.
-SFA-
