Offense, bullpen deliver for Trojans

SUN BELT UALR 12, LOUISIANA-MONROE 9

Describing the University of Arkansas-Little Rock’s pitching this season as bad might still be a bit generous.

Through 38 games, the Trojans’ 5.88 ERA ranks ninth in the Sun Belt Conference.

Take out Friday night starter Hayden Arnold and ace reliever Sawyer Smallwood and that number swells to 7.55 — a mark that would not only be far and away the league’s worst but among the bottom 40 in all of Division I.

Granted, take out any team’s two best arms and its ERA would rise.

As a result, when neither Arnold nor Smallwood is available, UALR’s bats will likely be greatly needed.

On Saturday night at Gary Hogan Field night, the Trojans dug their way out of 6-1 and 8-3 deficits to defeat Louisiana-Monroe 12-9. The heart of UALR’s order — Tyler Williams, Noah Dickerson and Canyon McWilliams — combined to go 9 for 14 with 7 runs, 8 RBI, 3 doubles, a triple and a home run.

“I wouldn’t call [needing to score] pressure,” Dickerson said. “Some days, your pitchers are going to succeed, some days your hitters are going to succeed. We’ve had to step up in tough times when our pitchers haven’t pitched the way they can.”

A week ago Saturday was one Trojans Coach Chris Curry called “a hard day in this program,” as Texas State put a historic 30-4 beatdown on the Trojans.

After losing the finale Sunday, Curry challenged his players, Dickerson among them.

They’ve since shown few lingering signs of a sevengame losing skid. That included Wednesday’s win against Louisiana Tech (2915).

But the pitching remains a problem. Saturday starter Hoss Brewer failed to make it out of the third, allowing five runs on four hits.

Reliever Erik McKnight didn’t fare better, allowing three more runs, and the Warhawks could’ve gotten more in the third if not for a nice grab by Williams in center field.

“[ The pitching] keeps you up at night,” Curry said. “Those guys are trying to figure out who they are on the mound and right now, that means they’re inconsistent.”

But after McKnight exited with one out in the fourth, UALR (19-19, 8-11 Sun Belt) steadied. The trio of Michael Quevedo, Chance Vaught and Jacob Weatherley allowed just 1 run on 3 hits over the final 5 2/3 innings.

The Trojans pulled to within one in the home half of the fourth, stringing together five hits in the span of seven batters.

Then down 8-7 in the sixth, McWilliams ripped a single up the middle to tie the game and two batters later, Miguel Soto buried a double in the corner to clear the bases and put the Trojans ahead 11-8 — their first lead of the game to that point.

Louisiana-Monroe (15-251, 6-13-1) cycled through five pitchers, none able to keep the Trojans without a run for more than an inning at a time.

“We knew our offense was going to come around,” Dickerson said. “Just keep putting good swings on the ball and today it paid off.”

Curry knows he’s still got a pitching problem on his hands.

The Trojans don’t have a defined Sunday starter. Smallwood likely won’t be available. A handful of their nextbest arms threw Saturday.

In the meantime, they’ll keep asking their veteran bats to deliver.

“We didn’t panic,” Curry said. “Our maturity showed up today. … They didn’t try to get it all back at once. It was one run here, two runs there. Those are mature hitters.”