A close call between third base and home plate didn’t go the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s way in the final moments of a Friday baseball game.
UAPB lost 9-8 to Alabama State in the opening game of a weekend series at the Torii Hunter Complex in Pine Bluff.
UAPB (5-21, 3-4 SWAC) trailed 9-7 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Centerfielder Eli Gries-Smith stood at first base, while second baseman Collin McLemore was at second.
Designated hitter Carlos Rodriguez-Velez hit the ball to right field. McLemore scored from second, while Gries-Smith held up momentarily at third.
Alabama State (11-16, 4-3) right fielder Kameron Douglas threw the ball back to the infield, but it bounced away from first baseman Juan Cruz. Although it bounced toward the third base foul line between the base and home plate, Gries-Smith saw the bobble as an opportunity to try to tie the game.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Alabama State catcher DeMarckus Smiley reached the ball just as Gries-Smith ran in front of him. Smiley reached out to attempt a tag. UAPB believed Gries-Smith avoided the tag, but the home plate umpire called him out to end the game.
Gries-Smith said he had seen Alabama State bobble throws from the outfield at first base earlier in the game, which is why he tried to score when the ball got away from Cruz.
“I was looking for something just like that,” Gries-Smith said. “I saw a kick, thought I got a good read on it. Whatever the call was made, I didn’t think it was right, but I’d do it again.”
UAPB Coach Logan Stout immediately went to the home plate umpire to plead his case. After a long discussion, the umpire consulted with the other two officials. They decided to stick with the out call and left the field as Alabama State celebrated.
Stout said he didn’t get much explanation from the official.
“He’s blindsided at the plate,” Stout said. “I said, ‘You couldn’t see it. You were on the other side of the catcher where the tag happened. Will you please ask your partner in the field?’ He said, ‘I can’t appeal that.’ I go, ‘I just want you to get it right. We’re safe, and he had a clear view of it.’
“He goes, ‘You know that’s my call.’ I go, ‘I just want you to get it right for the sake of the integrity of the game. Just get the call right. You missed it.’ … The umpires did not cost us the game, let me make that very clear. They certainly didn’t help.”
There were two other calls in the game the Golden Lions disagreed with. In the bottom of the sixth, Gries-Smith was called out at third on another RBI hit from Rodriguez-Velez. Both he and Stout, who coaches third base, argued the call, believing the runner was safe. Instead, the out call ended the inning.
With the bases loaded in the eighth, right fielder Dane Small hit a ground ball down the third base line. Stout waved home three runners, believing the ball to be fair, on a play which would have tied the game. The home plate umpire immediately ruled it a foul ball, sending everyone back. Small went on to hit a sacrifice fly to score 1 run, but the other runners were stranded.
The Golden Lions were trailing thanks to a 7-run top of the seventh inning from the Hornets. Alabama State sent 12 hitters to the plate and took a 9-4 lead on 5 hits and 2 errors.
That inning undid what had been a quality start from UAPB junior righthanded pitcher Kenney Fabian. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, on 9 hits with no walks and 4 strikeouts.
Two UAPB relievers, Emerson Lott and Brant Voth (1-2) failed to record an out before Nate Monceaux took over. He pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on 4 hits and a walk with 1 strikeout.
Stout said Alabama State took advantage of UAPB’s bullpen struggles in the seventh.
“We threw balls a little too far over the plate back-to-back-to-back,” Stout said. “Kudos to their offense. They hit them. They hit the ball, and we had chances to hit the ball with the bases loaded and less than two outs and didn’t do it. Our offense had 20-something hits, I think. So, 20-something hits, 8 runs on a Friday night should win a game.”
The Golden Lions’ loss comes despite a 21-hit day. Rodriguez-Velez joined first baseman Ben VanMaanen and catcher Vinny Saumell in tallying three hits apiece to lead the team. Rodriguez-Velez led in RBI with 2.
Alabama State starting pitcher Jorhan Laboy (3-2) pitched 6 innings, allowing 4 runs on 13 hits with 2 strikeouts. UAPB scored 4 runs against the bullpen while attempting to recover from the tough seventh.
UAPB tarped the infield after the game anticipating rain. Game two between the Golden Lions and Hornets is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday. Stout said after Friday’s game that remains the plan, though they are prepared to delay the start if needed.