JONESBORO, Ark. (4/23/22) – Eighteen innings was not enough to decide the winner of Arkansas State baseball’s three-game series versus Troy on Saturday.
That all ended in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday night at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field, as back-to-back bases-loaded walks moved A-State (9-27, 4-13 SBC) to a 4-3 victory over the Trojans (24-14, 10-8).
The Red Wolves split the twinbill, with Troy evening the series with a 6-1 win in the first game, but rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force extra innings. A-State displayed great plate discipline in the 10th inning, with all five hitters reaching base and driving in Jared Toler’s winning run to send the raucous Scarlet-and-Black-clad crowd home happy.
???????????????????? pic.twitter.com/D6kCa9mQLU
— Arkansas State Red Wolves Baseball (@AStateBaseball) April 24, 2022
GAME 1 | TROY 6, ARKANSAS STATE 1
Troy hurled a combined two-hitter in the first half of the doubleheader, with starter Brady Fuller (4-1) allowing both in a seven-inning outing. Keaton Fuller struck out three in two innings of hitless relief for the Trojans.
Will Nash (1-4) worked five innings, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out four. Max Charlton then worked two scoreless frames before handing off to Walker Williams and Jake Algee, who pitched the final two innings.
Jaylon Deshazier went 1-for-4 while Wil French reached base twice.
Donovan Whibbs drove in three runs on two hits at the plate, while Caleb Bartolero scored twice.
Troy struck first with three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Easton Kirk led off the inning with a solo home run before a two-run single by Whibbs plated Trey Leonard and Clay Stearns. Whibbs drove in another run in the fourth on an RBI single, driving in Bartolero from second to make it 4-0.
The Red Wolves ended the shutout bid in the fourth when Deshazier sent a towering fly ball over the head of Leonard in center field for an RBI triple that scored Brandon Hager, making it 4-1 after four. Troy responded in the fifth inning with another run on a sacrifice fly by Stearns.
After A-State put two men on with two outs, Troy pitching retired 13 straight batters to end the ballgame and even the weekend series.
GAME 2 | ARKANSAS STATE 4, TROY 3 (10 INNINGS)
Another strong pitching battle ensued in the second half of the doubleheader between A-State starter Carter Holt and Troy’s Rigsby Mosley.
Holt matched his career high with seven innings pitched in the quality start, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out seven and walking none. Tyler Jeans (2-4) went the rest of the way, working three innings and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out four.
Toler went 2-for-4 with two runs, including the game-winner in the 10th inning. Brandon Hager, who caught 18 of 19 innings on Saturday, went 1-for-4 with a homer and three RBI, including the bases-loaded walk that scored Toler in the 10th.
Mosley pitched 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking none while allowing two runs on six hits. Grayson Stewart (4-2) took the loss, pitching 2 2/3 innings before being chased in the 10th after back-to-back walks to open the frame.
The Trojans plated a run in the first and second innings before Holt kept them off the board for the rest of his outing. An RBI groundout in the first by Kirk scored William Sullivan to make it 1-0, then Brandon Schrepf singled home Bartolero in the second to make it 2-0.
Mosley kept the Scarlet and Black off the board until two outs in the sixth, when Hager knotted up the game at 2-all with a home over the left-field wall.
Jeans worked around a two-out walk in the eighth, before A-State threatened in the bottom of the inning with a runner at third with two outs, but a flyout ended the threat. Both pitchers made quick work in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Troy led off the 10th with a double by Jesse Hall, who advanced to third on a groundout. An error then allowed Hall to score, giving the Trojans a 3-2 lead.
Arkansas State did not have to swing to wrap up the series with the Trojans, with all five batters reaching base. French and Toler worked back-to-back walks to lead off the inning, spelling the end for Stewart. Garrett Olson was then hit by pitch while trying to lay down a bunt, loading the bases with no outs.
French crossed as the tying run when Klutts worked a five-pitch walk. Troy pitcher Bay Witcher was then removed for Ryan Pettys, who delivered three straight balls before firing a strike down the middle to Hager, who walked on the next pitch to drive in Toler and seal the Red Wolves’ second straight Sun Belt Conference series victory.
NEXT UP
A-State begins a seven-game road swing, beginning Friday at UT Arlington. All three games against the Mavericks will be broadcasted live on ESPN+, while the radio broadcasts can be heard on The Ticket Radio Network stations 95.3, 96.9, 104.1 and 970 AM.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on A-State Baseball, follow the team by liking Arkansas State Baseball on Facebook, as well as following the team on Twitter (@AStateBaseball) and Instagram (astatebaseball).
Original article source: https://astateredwolves.com/news/2022/4/23/baseball-walk-off-walk-sends-a-state-past-trojans-in-doubleheader-split.aspx | Article may or may not reflect the views of KLEK 102.5 FM or The Voice of Arkansas Minority Advocacy Council
Comments