Series finale is delayed by rain

The weather got in the way during the crucial final moments on Saturday at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s series finale against Lindenwood was postponed due to field conditions with UAPB trailing 1-0 with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game was the second of a doubleheader and followed a 3-0 Lindenwood win earlier in the day.

The game will resume at 11 a.m. Sunday at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock.

After Lindenwood (2-1) reliever Braden Branigan struck out the first hitter of the ninth inning, pinch hitter Jose Vasquez singled. Branigan then hit designated hitter Joe Adams and walked left fielder Zyon Hamilton to load the bases, putting the tying run at third base and the winning run at second.

Just as UAPB (1-2) right fielder Blake Coleman was walking to the plate looking for a walk-off hit, the umpires declared the game could not be continued.

Heavy rain had been falling since the top of the eighth inning. UAPB players quickly worked on the field between each inning, hoping to keep it playable. The umpires allowed the game to continue through the rain until finally calling it with the infield soaked with the game either two outs or 2 runs away from finishing.

UAPB coach Logan Stout said he couldn’t explain why the game couldn’t be continued despite the rain.

“I guess the way I grew up, playing in the rain is what you do,” Stout said. “I don’t have an explanation for why someone wouldn’t want to play baseball. I don’t care if it’s sunny or rainy. I want to play. However, player safety is a priority. I would never in a million years put my kids in danger. We played in it, but (Lindenwood) felt differently.”

The Golden Lion offense struggled through the 17 innings which were completed on Saturday. Both Lindenwood starters pitched seven scoreless innings.

Seth Benes (1-0) started Saturday’s first game, the third of the series, and did not allow a Golden Lion runner to reach third base. He struck out five hitters without a walk and allowed six hits. Right-hander Easton Rakers earned his first save of the season with a clean ninth inning as Lindenwood took a 2-1 series lead after the teams split Friday’s doubleheader.

Hamilton hit 2 for 3 in game three after hitting a combined 1 for 8 in Friday’s doubleheader.

Lindenwood’s starter for the finale, left-hander Lucas Niemeyer, finished with three strikeouts and a walk. UAPB catcher Matt Dworsky, who hit ninth, went 2 for 2 against Niemeyer, but the first eight hitters went a combined 0 for 17 against the freshman.

Stout said UAPB is without three of its best hitters to start the season, but he won’t use that as an excuse for the offensive woes.

“I believe in our backups,” Stout said. “I believe in the guys that we’re playing, but they certainly didn’t play like they’re capable of and certainly haven’t hit like they’re capable of, so that hasn’t helped, either. At the end of the day, we’re a team. All for one, one for all, and as a team, we didn’t execute and didn’t play well offensively.”

Niemeyer started the game by hitting leadoff hitter Konner Giddley and walking first baseman Lazaro Alvarado. Small bunted them into scoring position with two outs, but Niemeyer escaped with a strikeout.

UAPB’s best chance to score against him came in the third. Dworsky led off with a double, then moved to third on a bunt from Giddley. Shortstop Zach Wieder hit a fly ball to right field with one out which could have given UAPB a 1-0 lead, but Dworsky mistimed tagging third, giving Lindenwood time to throw him out at the plate and end the inning.

Stout said Lindenwood third baseman Owen Ralph positioned himself so Dworsky couldn’t see when the ball was caught.

“It’s a wonderful play,” Stout said. “You line yourself up, that’s what you’re taught. You line yourself up in the vision path of the baserunner and where the outfielder is catching the ball. Matt’s a catcher who was hurt all last year, so that’s probably the first time he’s been at third base in years. I told him, ‘I got you. I got you.’ He just took off early and then had to come back.”

UAPB started Kenney Fabian (0-1) in Saturday’s first game. He finished the fifth inning before giving way to reliever Brendan Hamlin. Fabian, a reigning first team All-SWAC selection, struck out four hitters with two walks while allowing 3 runs on six hits.

LU took the lead in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by first baseman Matt Graf before adding 2 runs in the fifth. Shortstop Charlie Isom-McCall hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. He was caught stealing later in the inning before catcher William Zareh homered to left field to make it 3-0.

Hamlin kept the visitors in check afterward, pitching four scoreless innings with three strikeouts, one walk and two hits. Both hits came from Lindenwood second baseman Will Geary, who hit a single and a double against Hamlin after tripling and scoring a run against Fabian. Geary was the only Lindenwood hitter with multiple hits in the game, finishing 3 for 5.

In the suspended finale, UAPB starter Ryland Morin gave the Golden Lions the longest outing of any of their starters this weekend, going 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts, one walk and three hits.

Morin had a no-hitter through 42/3 innings before Graf and Ralph hit back-to-back doubles to give Lindenwood a 1-0 lead.

Relievers Emerson Lott, Troy McLeese and Ryan Lamar combined to hold Lindenwood scoreless after Morin left with one out in the sixth.