A triple and an error allowed University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff second baseman Konner Giddley to score the last of several runs in a big Friday win.
The UAPB baseball team defeated Florida A&M 11-4 in the opening game of a three-game conference series at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.
UAPB (9-14, 4-0 SWAC) tallied 16 hits with one strikeout to remain perfect in SWAC play. Eight of UAPB’s nine hitters had a hit, and all nine reached base. Giddley led the way, hitting 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs. His RBIs came in the bottom of the eighth inning when he drove two runners home on a triple to right center field.
As he slid into third base, the relay throw sailed into the third base dugout, allowing him to run home and score the final run of what was UAPB’s second 5-run inning of the day.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Giddley said it felt good to score 11 runs after Eastern Illinois held the Golden Lions to 3 over two midweek games earlier in the week.
“We all swing it good,” Giddley said. “We’re seeing the ball good where it counts. Against Eastern Illinois, I thought we had some good barrels, too. We were putting good swings at the ball, just going at people. Just happened to fall our way (today).”
With the game tied at 1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the first three hitters singled to load the bases. Right fielder Zyon Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly to give the Golden Lions a 2-1 lead. The next hitter, catcher Vinny Saumell, hit an RBI double. Later in the inning, shortstop Aaron Grant hit a two-out, 2-RBI double to chase Rattler starting pitcher Caleb Granger (3-2).
Florida A&M (7-13, 2-2) reliever Karson Lindsey got out of the inning, but not before a passed ball allowed another run to score, sending UAPB into the sixth with a 6-1 lead.
Head coach Logan Stout said the Golden Lions were more patient at the plate in the sixth.
“You’re sitting there swinging at the first pitch of the inning three times in a row,” Stout said. “That’s not a good calculation. Then, we swing at the second pitch of the inning two times in a row. That’s not good hitting. Hitting’s too hard. You gotta make those guys pitch a little bit, get his pitch count up. When we did that, that’s ultimately when things started going our way.”
Back-to-back home runs by FAMU first baseman Josue Figueroa and second baseman William Brown cut the lead to 6-4 in the top of the seventh.
FAMU head coach Jamey Shouppe was ejected from the game in the bottom of the seventh after Lindsey hit Hamilton with a pitch. The home plate umpire initially said it did not hit Hamilton, but the umpires changed the decision after a long conference at Stout’s request.
Shouppe was visibly upset by the decision and argued with two of the umpires, who allowed him to air his disagreement for a long time before finally ejecting him. FAMU eventually escaped the inning without allowing a run, but the Golden Lions pulled away in the eighth.
UAPB ace Jalen Porter pitched 5⅔ innings before exiting the game after a visit from the athletic trainer. He allowed 1 run on three hits with six strikeouts and three hits.
Stout said Porter was cramping.
“He kept trying to work through it,” Stout said. “Finally, I just told him, I said, ‘Bud, it ain’t worth you getting hurt. Let’s just get you out of here.’ He begged and begged and pleaded, and he’s pretty convincing. He can go into sales once his professional baseball career is over, but at the end of the day, he’s fine.”
Stout called upon left-hander Joe King. King, who was making his first relief appearance of the season and first appearance overall since Feb. 27, struck out the first hitter he saw to end the inning.
Brendan Hamlin got his first save of the season after relieving King with two outs in the seventh inning. He retired all seven hitters he saw with two strikeouts.
The second game of the series will be at 2 p.m. Saturday.