Four-run third enough for win

Injuries across all three outfield positions could’ve put a damper on the University of Arkansas-Little Rock’s season-opening weekend.

That didn’t stop the Trojans from collecting a series win.

UALR held off South Dakota State on Sunday afternoon at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock, edging the Jackrabbits 7-6. A four-run third inning provided the Trojans some cushion as they asked their bullpen to pitch the final six frames, and second baseman Skyler Trevino provided a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh — an insurance run at the time that ultimately proved the game-winning score.

It was Trevino’s second home run in the season’s first three games, a weekend in which the Houston transfer finished with six RBI and three runs.

“Trevino has been in big, big games,” UALR Coach Chris Curry said. “I expected there to be no learning curve, no nerves and step in and play like a veteran guy. That’s why we signed him.”

Trevino was part of an entirely new-look infield for the Trojans. All four starters Sunday — first baseman Noah Brewer, Trevino, shortstop Alex Seguine and third baseman Nico Baumbach — played their first games for UALR (2-1) this weekend.

Brewer’s RBI double in the bottom of the first tied the game at 1-1, then gave his team the lead in the bottom of the third with another double, this time going down the leftfield line to score Seguine and Aidan Garrett after South Dakota State (1-2) took a 2-1 lead in the top half of the frame.

Trevino followed one batter later, bringing Brewer home, and designated hitter Jake Wright — one of just two returning players in the UALR lineup, joining Garrett by doubling to right to score Trevino, giving the Trojans a 5-2 lead.

“What we talk about is answering,” Curry said. “It’s an offense that was very handicapped in firepower in the guys that were out, but other guys stepped up…and then we got our shutdown innings.”

Although reliever Jacob Weatherley surrendered a two-run home run in the top of the eighth, Curry pointed to the fact that with his starting pitchers limited on the opening weekend — not to mention that Hoss Brewer, UALR’s expected Friday night starter, was unavailable due to injury — Weatherley and four of the Trojans’ other top relievers combined to allow just nine earned runs over 17 innings of work.

“That is big-time positivity,” Curry said of his team’s late-game pitching. “Last year, that was a hole for us — starting pitchers were outstanding but then we couldn’t finish the game. … The innings [for starters] were shaved and still, our bullpen did it early and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

ARKANSAS STATE 12, UAPB 8

Arkansas State closed out a season-opening series sweep Sunday afternoon in Jonesboro, getting five innings of one-run ball from starting pitcher Austin Kapela at Tomlinson Stadium.

The Red Wolves took control of what was a 1-1 game in the bottom of the 4th, scoring seven runs on seven hits — six of them singles, with Cross Jumper adding a double. Wil French led ASU (30), going 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot with 2 runs, 3 RBI and a stolen base.

UAPB (0-3) scored five runs in the top of the ninth, getting a three-run home run from Jelani Willis with the Golden Lions down to their final out.