The hottest team in the SWAC ran into one of the league’s hottest pitchers on Friday.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff junior pitcher Kenney Fabian pitched a complete game shutout as UAPB defeated Jackson State 5-0 in a series opener at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.
UAPB coach Logan Stout said that level of pitching performance against a team which entered the day on a 10-game winning streak is rare.
“I was watching his arm slot, making sure nothing was getting out of sync,” Stout said. “Last thing we want is some guy getting hurt, but everything was in sync. Everything was working. He was holding his (velocity) just fine. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have let me pull him out in that situation. I think his pitching coach, Coach (Mark) Moyer, would have … given me a death stare for about five minutes if I’d have pulled him out.”
Fabian (5-6) did not issue a walk or hit a batter in nine innings. He held the Tigers to six hits with five strikeouts in his longest outing of the season. He had not gone longer than seven innings prior to Friday, though that included a seven-inning complete game in a run-rule win against Southern on April 17.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He retired the final 10 hitters he faced after stranding five runners across the first five innings. UAPB (15-32, 13-9 SWAC) has won each of Fabian’s past five starts.
Fabian said this was his first nine-inning complete game at any level of baseball.
“I was just working on living at the knees, hitting spots,” Fabian said. “Let them hit it. They can’t beat me, so I just try to let them hit it, and my defense helped me. So does my offense.”
UAPB’s defense helped Fabian on a few occasions. Right fielder Dane Small dove for a ball in the fourth inning and got it just before it hit the ground, ending the top of the fourth inning with a Tiger runner on third in a 1-0 game.
Small tracked down a deep fly ball in foul territory later in the game. Left fielder Gavin Terry robbed Jackson State (27-18, 14-11) of a leadoff hit in the seventh with a diving catch. Shortstop Jesus Riera made two great plays to retire the first two hitters of the ninth inning.
Fabian said having good defense behind him was a big help.
“That was just a game-changer for me,” Fabian said. “I’m just glad to have those guys behind my back. It makes throwing for them so much easier.”
Jackson State starter Brandon Haston (3-7) pitched 7.1 innings, allowing 5 runs on nine hits with two strikeouts. A third inning walk was the only free base he allowed to a hitter until hitting UAPB first baseman Ben VanMaanen with a pitch.
Shemar Harris relieved him three hitters later with the bases loaded. He hit Riera with a pitch to drive in a run, then allowed a sacrifice fly from UAPB third baseman Trinidad De La Garza to make it 5-0 UAPB entering the ninth.
It was De La Garza’s second RBI of the game after driving in the first run on a single in the second inning. UAPB added 2 runs in the fourth when second baseman Kentavious Veal bunted and avoided a tag on his way to first while catcher Vinny Saumell beat another tag at home plate. Terry hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0 one batter later.
Stout said this was a game where UAPB had to find ways to manufacture runs.
“We knew their pitcher was going to throw strikes,” Stout said. “He doesn’t walk guys, typically. So, you know you’re going to have to take a chance any time you get a guy on third to get him in with less than two outs. So, proud of how Kentavious Veal executed. Great base running by Vinny, actually, at third.”
Saumell hit 3 for 4 and scored twice. De La Garza’s 2 RBIs lead the team.
Game two is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday following UAPB’s senior game festivities.