? Box score
NACOGDOCHES ? Noel Trevino’s RBI single down the third-base line in the bottom of the 11th brought home Kevin Croft with the winning run and Stephen F. Austin rallied for a 6-5 victory against UTSA on Saturday at Jaycees Field.
The Roadrunners saw their four-game winning streak come to an end and dropped to 24-16 overall and 14-3 in Southland Conference play. However, UTSA remained in first place in the SLC West, as Texas State lost 5-2 at Central Arkansas earlier in the day.
The Lumberjacks (22-19, 9-8 SLC) began their game-winning rally when Croft hit a one-out grounder up the middle that second baseman James Keithley couldn’t handle. The play was scored a hit and Croft moved up a base when Zach Gardner followed with a single through the left side. Trevino then scorched freshman Zach Calhoon’s 3-2 offering just inside the third base bag to bring home the winning run.
Stephen F. Austin sent the contest to extra frames in the eighth on Chris Smith’s two-out double down the left-field line off senior Josh Blakley, who came in with runners on the corners and one down.
Richard Folmer (2-2) allowed just three singles and struck out two in three scoreless innings to pick up the win.
Calhoon (3-2), who picked up Friday’s 7-6 extra-inning victory for the Roadrunners, was tagged with the loss after allowing a run on three hits in his two innings of work.
Junior Phillip Allen tied his career high with three hits, while junior Zach Etheredge and Keithley added two safeties apiece. Sophomore Michael Rockett was 1-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and he extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Junior Trent Lockwood saw his 11-game streak come to an end after going 0-for-3 with two walks.
UTSA starter Bradley Chovanec allowed five runs on nine hits and struck out four in 7.1 innings. Meanwhile, SFA’s Jared Schrom gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits in his seven innings and was hurt by a pair of self-inflicted throwing errors.
Jared Pitts’ RBI single in the first gave the Lumberjacks an early 1-0 advantage, but the Roadrunners responded with a three-run third to take the lead.
UTSA then plated single tallies the next two innings to extend the margin to four at 5-1. A two-run fifth brought Stephen F. Austin back within two and the score remained 5-3 for the next two-and-a-half frames.
Sunday’s rubber game is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday. Senior right-hander Blake Brannon (3-4, 8.34 ERA) will oppose SFA southpaw Lance Luetge (5-2, 3.79).
